SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
"Sver'tbing  comes  I  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Oud  York  Library 


NOTES 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  HISTORICAL. 


RELATING  TO  THE 


KINGS 


BY  GABRIEL  FURMA2V. 


M  They  are  worthy  of  reprehension  who  contemn  the  study  of 
antiquity,  (which  is  ever  accompanied  with  dignity)  as  an  arid 
curiosity."  Lord  Coke. 


BROOKLYN: 

TEINTID  BY  A .  SPOON  HR,  NO.  50  FULTON-STREET 


1824. 


in 
mm 

L 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


The  Compiler  offers  these  notes  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of  his  native  town,  in  the  hope  that  they  may 
be  in  some  small  degree  useful  and  entertaining  in 
discussions  relating  to  the  history  and  rights  of  this 
thriving  place.  He  claims  no  merit  for  this  per- 
formance, and  neither  does  he  write  from  the  van- 
ity of  being  considered  an  author,  but  is  only  actu- 
ated by  a  desire  to  rescue  from  oblivion  such  facts 
as  may  be  interesting  to  his  fellow-citizens.  The 
Compiler  would  consider  himself  guilty  of  ingrati- 
tude, if  he  did  not  in  this  public  manner,  acknow- 
ledge the  obligations  he  rests  under  from  the  kind 
assistance  afforded  him  whilst  collecting  these  no- 
tices, by  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Abraham  Vanderveer, 
Silas  Wood,  and  John  Doughty,  Esqrs. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/notesgeographica00furm_1 


NOTES  &c. 

OF  THE 

TOWN  OF  BROOKLYN, 


SITUATION". 

This  town  is  situated  in  Kings  County,  on  the 
west  end  of  Long-Island,  in  the  State  of  New-York. 
It  is  bounded  north  by  the  City  and  County  of 
New-York;  east  by  the  township  of  Bushwick  ; 
south  by  the  township  of  Flatbush  and  New  Utrecht; 
and  west  by  New- York  Bay ;  and  contains  the 
village  of  Brooklyn,  which  is  about  a  mile  square. 
This  town  formerly  composed  part  of  a  powerful 
Indian  Sachemdom  ;  and  with  the  other  parts  of 
the  Island  bore  the  Indian  name  of  Matowcas. 

This  part  of  the  Island,  as  far  as  Jamaica  was  in- 
habited by  the  Canrrsee  tribe  of  Indians.  The  old 
Dutch  inhabitants  in  this  county  havea  tradition, that 
the  Canarsee  Indians  were  subject  to  the  Mohawks, 
as  all  the  Iroquois  were  called  ;  and  paid  them  an  an- 
nual tribute  of  dried  clams  and  wampum.  When 
ihe  Dutch  settled  here,  they  persuaded  the  Canar- 
sees  to  keep  back  the  tribute;  in  consequence  of 
which  a  party  ot  the  Mohawks  came  down  and  kill- 
ed their  tributaries  wherever  they  met  them.  So 
great  was  the  dread  that  these  Indians  afterwards 
entertained  of  the  Iroquois,  that  when  a  party  of  the 
Iroquois,  during  the  French  war  were  taken  pris- 
oners and  imprisoned  in  the  Jail  of  this  county,  the 
Canarsees  avoided  them  with  the  greatest  care  ;  and 
seemed  to  be  afraid  even  to  come  where  thev  should 
1  * 


6 


see  them.  The  Canarsee  Indians  are  at  this  time 
totally  extinct :  not  a  single  member  of  that  ill  fa- 
ted race  is  now  in  existence. 

There  was  also  a  small  tribe  of  the  Nyack  Indi- 
ans near  the  jNarrows. 

In  this  town  is  also  the  United  States  Navy- Yard, 
containing  about  40  acres ;  which  was  purchased 
of  John  Jackson,  Esq.  by  Francis  Childs,  Esq.  for 
$40,000,  and  on  the  23d  day  of  February,  1801, 
was  conveyed  by  said  Childs  to  the  United  States. 

ANCIENT   NAMES   AND  REMAINS. 

In  1667,  this  town  was  known  by  the  name  of 
Breucklen.  In  the  act  to  divide  the  province  of 
New- York  into  shires  and  counties,  passed  Iiov.  1, 
1683,  it  is  mentioned  by  the  name  of  Breucklyn. 
It  is  also  called  Broucklyn  in  the  act  to  divide  the 
province  into  shires  and  counties,  passed,  Oct.  1, 
1691.  The  present  name  Brooklyn,  does  not  ap- 
pear to  have  been  generally  adopted  until  after  the 
Revolutionary  war. 

Heads  of  Indian  arrows,  beds  of  oyster  and  clam 
shells  denoting  the  former  residence  of  the  abori- 
gines, are  frequently  found  in  different  parts  of  this 
lo  wn. 

Among  the  most  ancient  remains  are  two  houses, 
one  owned  by  the  family  of  Cortelyou,  built  in 
1699;  the  other  standing  on  Fulton-street,  in  the 
village  of  Brooklyn.  The  last  mentioned  house 
was  occupied  by  the  Colonial  Legislature  as  a  Ses- 
sions house,  during  the  prevalence  of  the  small-pox 
in  New-York,  in  1752  ;  and  at  this  house  on  the  4th 
of  June,  1752,2541  Bills  of  credit  issued  by  this 
Colony,  amounting  to  £3602,  18,  3,  were  cancelled 
by  the  Colonial  Commissioners.  This  house  was 
also  occupied  by  Gen.  Putnam  as  his  head  quarters 


7 


during  the  stay  of  the  American  Army,  on  Long~ 
Island,  in  1776.  But  the  oldest  house  in  the  town 
of  Brooklyn  is  supposed  to  be  the  house  known  as 
.No.  64  Fulton-street,  in  the  village  of  Brooklyn, 
and  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  Jacob  Patch- 
en.  Mr.  Charles  Doughty,  who  has  been  dead 
about  25  years,  and  was  about  85  years  of  age 
when  he  died,  said  that  this  was  an  old  house  when 
he  was  a  boy.  Mrs.  Rapalye,  the  mother  of  John 
Rapalye,  whose  property  in  Brooklyn  was  confis- 
cated during  the  Revolutionary  war.  says  that  this 
house  was  built  by  a  family  of  the  Remsens  who 
came  from  Holland. 

SOIL   AND  CLIMATE. 

The  soil  of  this  town  appears  to  be  mostly  allu- 
vial, though  some  few  primitive  rocks  are  to  be  met 
with.  Several  years  since,  in  digging  a  well  on 
some  of  the  highest  ground  in  Brooklyn,  a  hem- 
lock board  was  found  at  the  depth  of  30  feet,  and 
again  at  the  depth  of  73  feet,  oyster  and  clam  shells 
were  met  with,  which  crumbled  on  being  exposed 
to  the  air. 

The  shores  of  Brooklyn,  where  they  are  not  de- 
fended by  wharves,  are  undergoing  continual  and 
rapid  changes,  in  consequence  of  the  velocity  of  the 
current  in  the  East  River.  The  tide  rises  here 
about  5  feet. 

There  is  very  little  doubt,  but  that  Governor's 
Island  was  formerly  connected  with  Red  Hook  point 
in  this  town.  It  is  an  established  fact,  that  pre- 
vious to  the  Revolutionary  contest,  cattle  were 
driven  from  Red  Hook  to  Governor's  Island, 
which  places  at  that  time  were  only  separated  by  a 
very  narrow  channel,  which  is  called  Buttermilk 
channel,  and  is  now  wide  and  deep  enough  to  ad- 


8 


mjt  of  the  largest  size  of  merchant  vessels  passing 
through. 

The  climate  is  very  changeable,  but  cannot  be 
called  unhealthy.  People  in  this  town  live  to  as 
great  age,  as  in  almost  any  other  part  of  the  United 
States;  as  instances  of  which,  April,  1823,  Mr. 
Tiebout  died  in  this  town,  aged  100  years  and  10 
months.  The  same  year,  Mr.  Schoonmaker  died, 
aged  84  years;  and  in  1824,  Mary  Peterson,  a 
colored  woman  died,  aged  103  years.  It  is  not  an 
uncommon  thing  for  the  inhabitants  to  live  beyond 
the  "  three  score  }<ears  and  ten." 

This  town  has  at  different  periods  been  visited  by 
the  yellow  fever.  Between  July  10th  and  Septem- 
ber 10th,  1809,  28  persons  died  of  that  disease.— 
During  the  prevalence  of  the  yellow  fever  in  the 
city  of  New- York,  in  the  summer  of  1822,  seven  per- 
sons died  of  that  disease  in  Brooklyn.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1S23,  the  yellow  fever  made  its  appearance 
in  the  village  of  Brooklyn,  and  nine  persons  fell 
victims  to  that  dreadful  pestilence,  in  the  space  of 
one  month,  during  w  hich  time  its  ravages  continued. 
Every  year  that  this  disease  made  its  appearance 
amongst  us,  it  could  be  distinctly  traced  to  some  for- 
eign cause  ;  as,  in  1809.  it  was  brought  in  the  ship 
Concordia,  Captain  Coffin,  on  board  of  which  vessel 
the  first  case  and  death  happened.  In  1822,  it  w  as 
introduced  from  the  city  of  New  -York — and  in  J  823, 
it  was  traced  to  two  or  three  vessels  which  had  ar- 
rived a  short  time  previous  from  southern  latitudes. 
Indeed  the  high  and  airy  situation  of  Brooklyn  al- 
most precludes  the  idea  of  its  being  engendered 
among  us. 

ANCIENT   GRANTS  AND  PATENTS. 

In  the  year  1638,  William  Kieft,  Director  Gen- 
eral and  Counsellor  for  their  high  mightinesses  the 


9 


States  General,  and  his  highness  the  Prince  of 
Orange,  granted  to  Abraham  Rycken,  a  tract  of 
land  in  the  present  town  of  Brooklyn. 

September  11. 1642,  William  Kieft  Director  Gen- 
eral, &c.  patented  to  Jan  Maaje,  a  piece  or  parcel 
of  land  containing  20  morgan,  or  40  acres,  in  the 
town  of  Brooklyn.  A  copy  of  which  patent  is  here- 
to annexed  as  a  specimen  of  those  ancient  instru- 
ments : 

"  By  William  Kieft,  Director  General  and  Coun- 
sellor, about  the  high  and  mighty  Lords,  the  States 
General  of  the  United  Low  Country,  and  his  high* 
ness  of  Orange,  and  the  Lords  Commanders  of  the 
priviledged  West  India  Company,  residing  in  the 
New-Netherland,  do  ratify  and  declare  by  these 
presents,  that  we  upon  the  date  hereinafter  written, 
did  give  and  grant  to  Jan  Manje,,  a  piece  of  land, 
greatly  twenty  morgan  stretching  about  south-east 
one  hundred  and  ninety  rods  inward  the  woods  to- 
wards to  Sassians  maise  land — long  is  the  limits  of 
the  said  maise  land  firty  rod,  and  then  again  to  the 
water  side,  two  hundred  and  twenty  rod,  about 
north  north-west,  well  so  northerly  and  along  the 
strand  or  water  side,  seventy  rod.  W  hich  above- 
said  land  is  lying  upon  Long-Island,  between  An- 
dries  Hudde  and  Claes  Janse  Ruyter.— With  express 
conditions,  he.  Dated  at  Fort  Amsterdam,  in  the 
New-Netherland,  the  11th  day  of  September,  1642, 

WILLIAM  KIEFT. 

By  order  of  the  Lord  the  Director  General,  and 
Counsellor  of  New-Netherland. 

Cornelius  Vantienhoven,  Sec'ry, 

January  29,  1652,  Pieter  Linde,  having  married 
the  widow  of  Jan  Manje,  transported  or  sold  the 


10 


above  tract  of  land  to  Barent  Janse.  August  23, 
1674,  before  Nicasius  de  Sille,  admitted  Secretary 
of  the  Dutch  towns  appeared  Jan  Barentse,  (*)  and 
Alike  Janse,  with  Simon  Hausen  as  Guardian  of  the 
other  children  of  Barent  Janse,  deceased,  "  procur- 
ed by  his  wife  Stymie  Pieterse  deceased,  all  living 
within  the  town  of  Midwout  Fflackbush,"  and  de- 
clared that  they  transported  the  above  tract  of  land 
to  Dirck  Janse  Woertman. 

September  12,  1645,  William  Kieft,  Director 
General,  he.  patented  to  Andries  Hudden,  "a  piece 
of  land  lying  upon  Long-Island  against  over  the 
fort,  lying  to  the  south-west  to  Jan  Manje,"  con- 
taining 37  morgan.  December  10,  1651,  "  Pieter 
Cornelissen  by  virtue  of  a  procuratie  of  Andries 
Hudden,"  for  the  consideration  of  400  guilders, 
transported  to  Lodewyck  Jongh  the  above  tract 
July  19,  1676,  Lodewyck  Jongh  transported  to 
Jeronimus  de  Rapalje,  eight  morgan  of  the  above 
tract.  February  12,  1679,  Harmatie  Jansen  relict 
of  Lodewyck  Jongh,  transported  to  Dirck  Janse 
Woertman,  12  morgan  of  the  above  tract.  May  3, 
1685,  "  Dirck  Janse  Woertman,  transported  to  the 
heirs  of  Jooris  Dirckse,  a  small  stroke  off  land  lying 
at  the  east  side  off  the  highway  being  all  the  claime 
they  can  pretende  by  virtue  off  the  abovesaid  Pat- 
tent." 

September  30,  1645,  William  Kieft,  Director 
G  neral,  he.  patented  to  Claes  Janse,  from  Naer- 
der,  a  piece  of  land,  containing  20  morgan,  lying 
south-east,  a  little  easterly,  just  over  against  the 
Fort,  upon  Long-Island.  March  11,  J  660,  the 
above  tract  of  land  was  transported  by  Claes  Janse 

1.  The  custom  of  changing  the  names  of  sons,  or  rather  substituting 
the  sur-names  for  the  christian  name,  prevailed  at  this  period  ;  as  in  the 
above  instance,  the  fathers  name  was  Barent  Janse,  and  the  son  was 
railed  Jao  Barentse, 


11 


Ruyter,  to  Machiell  Tadens,  who  transported  the 
same  to  Machiell  Hainielle 

The  three  patents  to  Manje,  Hudde,  and  Janse, 
from  Naerder,  were  located  near  the  Ferry  in  this 
town,  and  all  subsequently  were  purchased  by 
Derick  Woortman,  alias  Dirck  Janse  Woertman, 
and  were  by  him  sold  to  Joras  Remsen,  on  the  10th 
day  of  October,  1706,  for  the  sum  of  £612  10s. 
current  money  of  New-York. 

There  is  great  reason  to  believe  that  there  was  a 
General  Patent  of  this  town  under  the  Dutch  Go- 
vernment, which  patent  is  now  lost.  What  strength- 
ens this  idea  is,  that  the  first  by  Governor  Nicolls 
under  the  English  is  confirmatory  of  some  former 
grant. 

August  10th,  1695.  The  Patentees  and  free- 
holders of  this  town  sold  unto  Stephanus  Van  Cort- 
landt,  the  neck  of  land  called  Red  Hook,  contain- 
ing by  estimation  50  acres ;  which  they  state  in 
their  deed  "  was  formerly  given  and  granted  to  the 
town  of  Broocklyn,  in  the  year  1657,  by  Governor 
Stuyvesant,  the  Dutch  Governor  then  at  that  time, 
and  since  confirmed  by  the  English  Governors, 
Governor  Nicolls,  and  Governor  Dongan."  Which 
is  very  strong  proof  of  there  having  been  a  general 
Dutch  Patent  for  this  town. 

October  IS,  1667.  Richard  Nicolls,  the  first  En- 
glish Governor  of  New-York,  granted  to  the  inhab- 
itants of  Brooklyn,  the  following  full  and  ample 
patent,  confirming  them  in  their  rights  and  privi- 
leges. 

L.  S.  "  Richard  Nicolls,  Esq.  Governor  Gene- 
ral under  his  Royal  Highness  James  Duke  of  Yorke 
and  Albany,  &c.  of  all  his  Terretorys  in  Amer- 
ica, To  all  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come, 
sendeth  Greeting. — Whereas  there  is  a  certain  town 


12 


within  this  government,  situate,  lying  and  being  in 
the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire  upon  Long-Island, 
commonly  called  and  known  by  the  name  of 
Breuckelen,  which  said  town,  is  in  the  tenure  or 
occupation  of  several  freeholders  and  inhabitants 
who  having  heretofore  been  seated  there  by  authori- 
ty, have  been  at  very  considerable  charge,  in  man- 
uring and  planting  a  considerable  part  of  the  lands 
belonging  thereunto  and  settled  a  competent  num- 
ber of  families  thereupon.  Now  for  a  confirmation 
unto  the  said  freeholders  and  inhabitants  in  their 
possessions  and  enjoyment  of  the  premises,  Know 
ye,  That  by  virtue  of  the  commission  and  authority 
unto  me  given  by  his  Royal  Highness,  I  have  giv- 
en, ratified,  confirmed  and  granted,  and  by  these 
presents,  do  give,  ratify,  confirm  and  grant,  unto 
Jan  Everts,  Jan  Damen.  Albert  Cornelissen,  Paulus 
Veerbeeck,  Michael  Eneyl,  Thomas  Lamberts, 
Tuenis  Guysbert  Bogart  and  Joris  Jacobson,  as 
patentees,  for  and  on  the  behalf  of  themselves  and 
their  associates,  the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  of 
the  said  town  their  heirs  successors  and  assigns,  all 
ihat  tract  together  with  the  several  parcels  of  land 
which  already  have  or  hereafter  shall  be  purchased 
or  procured  for  and  on  behalf  of  the  said  town, 
whether  from  the  native  Indian  proprietors,  or 
others,  within  the  bounds  and  limits  hereafter  set 
forth  and  exprest,  viz.  that  is  to  say,  the  town  is 
bounded  westward  on  the  farther  side  of  the  land 
of  Mr.  Paulus  Veerbeck,  from  whence  stretching 
south-east,  they  go  over  the  hills,  and  so  east- 
ward along  the  said  hills  to  a  south-east  point 
which  takes  in  all  the  lotts  behind  the  swamp,  from 
which  said  lotts  the  run  north-west  to  the  River f3} 

2.  According  to  the  New- York  doctrine,  this  boundary  of  the  town 
can  only  be  correct  when  the  tide  is  flood,  for  when  the  water  is  low, 
the  town  is  bounded  by  property  belonging  to  the  Corporation  of  the 
City  of  New-Yorkj  and  not  by  the  River. 


13 


and  extend  to  the  farm,  on  the  t'other  side  of  the 
hill  heretofore  belonging  to  Hans  Hansen  over 
against  the  Kicke  or  Looke-out,  including  within 
the  said  bounds  and  limitts  all  the  lotts  and  planta- 
tions, lying  and  being  at  the  Gowanis,  Bedford, 
Wallaboucht  and  the  ferry. — All  which  said  par- 
cels and  tracks  of  land  and  premises  within  the 
bounds  and  limitts  aforementioned,  described,  and 
all  or  any  plantation  or  plantations  thereupon,  from 
henceforth  are  to  bee  appertaine  and  belong  to  the 
said  town  of  Breucklen,  Together  with  all  havens, 
harbours,  creeks,  quarryes,  woodland,  meadow- 
ground,  reed-land  or  valley  of  all  sorts,  pastures, 
marshes,  runs,  rivers,  lakes,  hunting,  fishing,  hawk- 
ing, and  fowling,  and  all  other  profitts,  commodi- 
ties, emoluments,  and  hereditaments,  to  the  said 
lands  and  premises  within  the  bounds  and  limits  all 
forth  belonging,  or  in  any  wise  appertaining, — and 
withall  to  have  freedome  of  commonage  for  range 
and  feed  of  cattle  and  horse  into  the  woods  as  well 
without  as  within  these  bounds  and  limitts  with  the 
rest  of  their  neighbours*  (3) — as  also  one-third  part 
of  a  certain  neck  of  meadow  ground  or  valley  call- 
ed Sellers  neck,  lying  and  being  within  the  limits 
of  the  town  of  Jamaica,  purchased  by  the  said  town 
of  Jamaica  from  the  Indians,  and  sold  by  them  unto 
the  inhabitants  of  Breucklen  aforesaid,  as  it  has 
been  lately  laid  out  and  divided  by  their  mutual 
consent  and  my  order,  whereunto  and  from  which 
they  are  likewise  to  have  free  egress  and  regress, 
as  their  occasions  may  require.(4)    To  have  and 

(3)  This  town  enjoyed  this  privilege  in  common  with  the  other 
towns  on  Long-Island,  and  their  cattle  which  ran  at  large  were  marked 
with  the  letter  N. 

(4)  At  the  annual  town  meeting,  April,  1823,  a  committee  wag  ap- 
pointed to  inquire  if  this  town  at  present,  had  any,  and  if  any,  what  right 
to  the  above-mentioned  tract  of  meadow  ground  called  Sellers  neck  • 
what  progress  this  committee  made  in  their  investigation,  the  compiler 
is  uninformed.   This  meadow  called  Seller's  neck,  the  ^Compiler  thinks 

2 


14 


to  hold  all  and  singular  the  said  tract  and  parcel! 
of  land,  meadow  ground  or  valley,  commonage, 
hereditaments  and  premises,  with  their,  and  every 
of  their  appurtenances,  and  of  every  part  and  par- 
cell  thereof  to  the  said  patentees  and  their  associates, 
their  heirs,  successors  and  assigns,  to  the  proper 
use  and  behoof  of  the  said  patentees  and  their  as- 
sociates, their  heirs,  successors  and  assigns  forever. 
Moreover,  1  do  hereby  give,  ratify,  confirm  and 
grant  unto  the  said  Patentees  and  their  associates, 
their  heirs,  successors  and  assigns,  all  the  rights  and 
privileges  belonging  to  a  town  within  this  go- 
vernment, and  that  the  place  of  their  present  habit- 
ation shall  continue  and  retain  the  name  of  Breuck- 
elen,  by  which  name  and  stile  it  shall  be  distinguish- 
ed and  known  in  all  bargains  and  sales  made  by 
them  the  said  Patentees  and  their  associates,  their 
heirs,  successors  and  assigns,  rendering  and  paying 
such  duties  and  acknowledgments  as  now  are,  or 
hereafter  shall  be  constituted  and  established  by  the 
laws  of  this  government  under  the  obedience  of  his 
Royal  highness,  his  heirs  and  successors.  Given 
under  my  hand  and  seal  at  Fort  James,  in  New- 
York,  on  the  Island  of  Manhattat,  this  18th  day  of 
October,  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  our 
Sovereign  Lord,  Charles  the  second,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  of  England,  Scotland,  France  and  Ireland, 
King,  Defender  of  the  faith,  Sic.  Annoque  Domini, 

RICHARD  NICOLLS. 

Recorded  by  order  of  the  Governor,  the  day  and 
year  above  written. 

MATTHIAS  NICOLLS,  Sec'ry. 

was  apportioned  among  the  patentees  and  freeholders,  and  what  leads 
him  to  this  conclusion  is,  that  on  the  10th  of  May,  1695,  John  Damen, 
who  was  one  of  the  patentees  of  this  town,  sold  to  William  Huddlestone 
ell  his  interest  in  the  said  meadow. 


15 


1670.  The  inhabitants  of  this  town  desirous  oi 
enlarging  the  bounds  of  their  common  lands,  and 
extinguishing  the  Indian  claim  to  the  same,  applied 
to  Governor  Lovelace,  and  obtained  from  him  the 
following  permission  to  purchase  of  the  Indians, 

"  L.  S.  Whereas  the  inhabitants  ofBreucklyn, 
in  the  west  Riding  of  Yorkshire  upon  Long-Island, 
who  were  seated  there  in  a  township  by  the  author- 
ity then  in  being,  and  having  bin  at  considerable 
charges  in  clearing  /Fencing  and  manuring  their 
land,  as  well  as  building  11  or  their  conveniency, 
have  requested  my  lycense  for  their  further  security 
to  make  purchase  of  the  said  land  of  some  Indians 
who  lay  claim  and  interest  therein  ;  These  are  to 
certify  all  whom  it  may  concerne,  that  I  have  and 
doe  hereby  give  the  said  inhabitants  lycense  to  pur- 
chase their  land  according  to  their  request,  the  said 
Indians  concerned  appearing  before  me  as  in  the 
law  is  required,  and  making  their  acknowledg- 
ments to  be  fully  satisfyed  and  payed  for  the  same. 
Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  at  flbrt  James,  in 
New-Yorke,  this  ffirst  day  of  May,  in  the  22nd 
yeare  of  his  Majestyies  reigne,  Annoque  Dom.  1670. 

FFRANCIS  LOVELACE." 

The  purchase  was  accordingly  made  and  the  fol- 
lowing is  a  copy  of  the  deed  from  the  Indians  for 
the  same. 

"  To  all  people  to  whom  this  present  writing  shall 
come,  Peter,  Elmohar,  Job,  Makaquiquos,  and 
Shamese,  late  of  Staten-Island  send  Greeting : 
Whereas,  they  the  said  Peter,  Elmohar,  Job,  Maka- 
quiquos, and  Shamese,  afore-mentioned,  doe  lay 
claime  to  the  land  now  in  the  tenure  and  occupa- 
tion of  some  of  the  inhabitants  ofBreucklyn,  as  well 
as  other  lands  there  adjascent  a?  the  true  Indiam 


16 


owners  and  proprietors  thereof,  Know  Yee,  that  for 
and  in  consideration  of  a  certaine  sum  of  wampum 
and  diverse  other  goods,  the  which  in  the  Schedule 
annext  are  exprest  unto  the  said  Sachems  in  hand 
payd  by  Monsieur  Machiell  Hainelle,  Thomas  Lam- 
bertse,  John  Lewis,  and  Peter  Darmantier,  on  the 
behalf  of  themselves  and  the  inhabitants  of  Breuck- 
lyn,  the  receipt  whereof  they  doe  hereby  acknow- 
ledge, and  themselves  to  be  fully  satisfyed  and 
payed  therefore ;  have  given,  granted,  bargained 
and  sold,  and  by  these  presents  doe  fully,  freely 
and  absolutely  give,  grant,  bargain  and  sell,  unto 
the  said  Monsieur  Machiell  Hainelle,  Thomas  Lam- 
bertse,  John  Lewis  and  Peter  Darmantier,  /for  and 
on  behalf  of  themselves,  and  the  inhabitants  afore- 
said, their  heyrs  and  successors ;  all  that  parcell  of 
land  and  tract  of  land,  in  and  about  Bedford,  with- 
in the  jurisdiction  of  Brucklyn,  beginning  ffrom 
Hendrick  Van  Aarnhems  land  by  a  swamp  of  water 
and  stretching  to  the  hills,  then  going  along  the 
hills  to  the  port  or  entrance  thereof,(5)  and  soe  to 
Rockaway  ffoot  path  as  their  purchase  is  more  par- 
ticularly sett  fforth  ;  To  have  and  to  bold  all  the 
said  parcell  and  tract  of  land  and  premises  within 
the  limits  before  described  unto  the  said  Monsieur 
Machiell  Hainella,  Thomas  Lambertse,  John  Lew- 
is, and  Peter  Darmantier,  ffor  and  on  the  behalf  of 
the  inhabitants  aforesaid,  their  heyres,  and  success- 
ors, to  the  proper  use  and  behooff  of  the  said  in- 
habitants, their  heyers  and  successors  forever;  In 
witness  whereof  the  partyes  to  these  presents  have 
hereunto  sett  their  hands  and  seales,  this  14th  day 
of  May,  in  the  22nd  yeare  of  his  Majestyes  reigne, 
Annoque  Dom.  1670. 

(5)  This  "  port  or  entrance,"  as  it  is  called,  is  situate  in  the  valley 
on  the  Flatbush  Turnpike,  near  the  "  Brush"  or  u  Valley  Tavern," 
and  a  short  distance  beyond  the  3  mile  post  from  Brooklyn  ferry.— A 
freestone  monument  has  been  placed  here,  to  designate  the  patent  line 
between  Brooklyn  and  Flatbush. 


17 


Sealed  and  Delivered  in  the  presence  of  Mathias 
Nicolls,  R.  Lough,  Samuel  ^  Davies,  John  Gar- 
land, his  marke 

The  mark  of  p  Peter,         (l.  s.) 

The  mark  of  o  Elmohar,     (l.  s.) 

The  mark  oft*  Job,  (l.  s.) 

The  mark  of  2  Makaquiquos(L.s.) 

The  mark  ot  7  Shamese,     (l*  s.) 

"  This  Deed  was  acknowledged  by  the  within 
written  Sachems,  before  the  Governor  in  the  pre- 
sence of  us,  the  day  and  year  within  written. 

MATHIAS  NICOLLS,  Secretary. 
The  mark  of ^  SAMUEL  DAVIES. 
"  Recorded  by  order  of  the  Governor, 

MATHIAS  NICOLLS,  Secretary. 

The  Inventory,  or  Schedule  referred  to  in  the  Deed. 

"  The  payment  agreed  upon  fFor  the  purchase  of 
the  land  in  and  about  Bedford,  within  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  Breucklyn,  conveyed  this  day  by  the  Indian 
Sachems,  proprietors  is,  viz. 

100  Guilders  Seawant, 
Half  a  tun  of  strong  Beer, 

2  half  tuns  of  good  Beer, 

3  Guns,  long  barrells,  with  each  a  pound  of  pow- 
der, and  lead  proportionable — 2  bars  to  a  gun, 

4  match  coates." 

May  13,  1686.  Governor  Dongan  granted  to 
the  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn  the  following  confir- 
matory patent : 

L.  S.  "  Thomas  Dongan,  Lieutenant  Gover- 
nor, and  Vice  Admiral  of  New-York,  and  its  de~ 


18 


pendencies  under  his  Majesty  James  the  Second,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  of  England,  Scotland,  France 
and  Ireland,  King,  Defender  of  the  Faith,  &c. — 
Supreme  lord  and  proprietor  of  the  Colony  and 
province  of  New-York  and  its  dependencies  in 
America,  fcc.  To  all  to  whom  this  shall  come  send- 
eth  greeting,  whereas  the  Honorable  Richard  Nic- 
olls,  Esq.  formerly  Governor  of  this  province,  did 
by  his  certain  writing  or  patent  under  his  hand  and 
seal,  bearing  date  the  eighteenth  day  of  October, 
Annoque  Domini,  one  thousand  six^hundred  and 
sixty-seven,  ratifie,  confirm  and  grant  unto  Jan 
Everts,  Jan  Damen,  Albert  Cornelissen,  Paulus 
Verbeeck,  Michael  Enyle,  Thomas  Lamberts,  Tu- 
nis Gisberts  Bogart,  and  Joris  Jacobsen,  as  paten- 
tees for  and  on  behalf  of  themselves  and  their  as- 
sociates, the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  of  the  towfi 
of  Breucklen,  their  heirs,  successors,  and  assigns 
forever,  a  certain  tract  of  land,  together  with  the 
several  parcels  of  land  which  then  were  or  thereaf- 
ter should  be  purchased  or  procured  for  and  on  be- 
half of  the  said  town,  whether  from  the  native  Indi- 
an proprietors,  or  others  within  the  bounds  and 
limitts  therein  sett  forth  and  expressed,  that  is  to 
say,  the  said  town  is  bounded  westward  on  the  fur- 
ther side  of  the  land  of  Mr.  Paulus  Verbeeck,  from 
whence  stretching  south-east  they  go  over  the  hills, 
and  so  eastward  along  by  the  said  hills  to  a  south- 
east point,  winch  takes  in  all  the  lotts  behind  the 
swamp,  from  which  said  lotts  they  run  north-west 
to  the  River,  and  extend  to  the  farm  on  the  other 
side  of  the  hills  heretofore  belonging  to  Hans  Han- 
sen, over  against  Keak  or  Look-out,  including  with- 
in the  said  bounds  and  limitts  all  the  lots  and  plan- 
tations, lying  and  being  at  the  Gauwanes,  Bedford, 
Wallabocht  and  the  ferry,  all  which  said  parcells 
ind  tract  of  land  and  premises  within  the  bounds 


19 


and  limitts  aforementioned  described,  and  all  or 
any  plantation  or  plantations  thereupon,  from 
henceforth  are  to  be,  appertain  and  belong  to  the 
said  town  of  Breucklyn,  Together  with  all  harbor, 
havens,  creeks,  quarries, woodland,  meadow  ground, 
reed  land  or  valley  of  all  sorts,  pastures,  marshes, 
waters,  rivers,  lakes,  fishing,  hawking,  hunting, 
fowling,  and  all  other  profits,  commodities,  emolu- 
ments and  hereditaments  to  the  said  lands  and  pre- 
mises within  the  bounds  and  limitts  set  forth,  be- 
longing, or  in  any  wise  appertaining,  and  with  all 
to  have  freedom  of  commonage  for  range  and  feed 
of  cattle  and  horses,  into  the  woods  with  the  rest  of 
their  neighbours,  as  also  one  third  part  of  a  certain 
neck  of  meadow  ground  or  valley,  called  Seller's 
neck,  lying  and  being  within  the  town  of  Jamaica, 
purchased  by  the  said  town  of  Jamaica  from  the 
Indians,  and  sold  by  them  unto  the  inhabitants  of 
Breucklen  aforesaid,  as  it  was  laid  out  aforesaid, 
and  divided  by  their  mutual  consent  and  order  of 
the  Governor.  To  have  and  to  hold  unto  them  the 
said  patentees  and  their  associates,  their  heirs,  suc- 
cessors and  assigns  forever,  as  by  the  said  patent 
reference  being  thereunto  had,  doth,  fully  and  at 
large  appear.  And  further,  in  and  by  the  said  pat- 
ent, the  said  Governor,  Richard  Nicolls,  Esq.  did 
erect  the  said  tract  of  land  into  a  township  by  the 
name  of  Breucklen  aforesaid,  by  that  name  and 
style  to  be  distinguished  and  known  in  all  bargains, 
sales,  deeds,  records  aud  writings  whatsoever  ;  and 
whereas  the  present  inhabitants  and  freeholders  of 
the  town  of  Breucklen  aforesaid,  have  made  their 
application  to  me  for  a  confirmation  of  the  aforesaid 
tract  of  land  and  premises  in  their  quiet  and  peace- 
able possession  and  enjoyment  of  the  aforesaid  land 
and  premises.  Now  Know  YeJ  That  I,  the  said 
Thomas  Dongaa.  by  virtue  of  the  commission  and 


20 


authority  derived  unto  me,  and  power  in  me  resid- 
ing, have  granted,  ratified  and  confirmed,  and  by 
these  presents  do  grant,  ratifie  and  confirm,  unto 
Teunis  Gysberts,  Thomas  Lamberts,  Peter  Jansen, 
Jacobus  Vander  Water,  Jan  Dame,  Joris  Jacobs, 
Jeronimus  Rapalle,  Daniel  Rapalle,  Jan  Jansen, 
Adrian  Bennet,  and  Michael  Hanse>  for  and  on  the 
behalf  of  themselves  and  the  rest  of  the  present  free- 
holders and  inhabitants  of  the  said  town  of  Breuck- 
len,  their  heirs  and  assigns  forever,  all  and  singu- 
lar the  afore-recited  tiact  and  parcels  of  land  set 
forth,  limited  and  bounded  as  aforesaid  ;  together 
with  all  and  singular,  the  houses,  messuages,  tene- 
ments, fencings,  buildings,  gardens,  orchards,  trees, 
woods,  underwoods,  pastures,  feedings,  common  of 
pasture,  meadows,  marshes,  lakes,  ponds,  creeks, 
harbors,  rivers,  rivulets,  brooks,  streams,  highways 
and  easements  whatsoever,  belonging  or  in  any  wise 
appertaining  to  any  of  the  afore-recited  tract  or  par- 
cells  of  land  and  divisions,  allotments,  settlements 
made  and  appropriated  before  the  day  and  date 
nereof.  To  Have  and  To  Hold,  all  and  singular, 
the  said  tract  or  parcels  of  land  and  premises,  with 
their,  and  every  of  their  appurtenances  unto  the 
said  Tunis  Gysberts,  Thomas  Lamberts,  Peter  Jan- 
sen, Jacobus  Vander  Water,  Joris  Jacobs,  Jeroni- 
mus Rappalle,  Daniel  Rappalle,  Jan  Jansen,  Adri- 
an Bennet  and  Michael  Hanse,  for  and  on  behalf  of 
themselves  and  the  present  freeholders  and  inhabit- 
ants of  the  town  ofBreucklen,  their  and  every  of 
their  heirs  and  assigns  forever,  as  tenants  in  com- 
mon without  any  let,  hindrance,  molestation,  right 
of  survivorship  or  otherwise,  to  be  holden  in  free 
and  common  socage  according  to  the  tenure  of  East 
Greenwich,  in  the  county  of  Kent,  in  his  Majesty's 
kingdom  of  England.  Yielding,  rendering  and 
paying  therefor  yearly,  and  every  year,  on  tUe  five 


and  twentyetlf  8ay  of  March,  forever,  in  lieu  of  all 
services  and  demands  whatsoever,  as  a  quit  rent  to 
his  most  sacred  Majesty  aforesaid,  his  heirs  and  suc- 
cessors, at  the  city  of  New-York,  twenty  bushels  of 
good  merchantable  wheat.  In  testimony  whereof, 
I  have  caused  these  presents  to  be  entered  and  re- 
corded in  the  Secretary's  office,  and  the  seal  of  the 
Province  to  be  hereunto  affixed  this  thirteenth  day 
of  May,  Anno.  Domini,  one  thousand  six  hundred 
and  eighty-six,  and  in  the  second  year  of  his  Ma- 
jesiv's  reign. 

THOMAS  DONGAN." 

Quit  rents  to  the  following  amounts  and  at  the 
following  periods  have  been  paid  on  ,the  Brooklyn 
patents. 

June  8,  1713.  Paid  to  Benjamin  Van  de  Water, 
Treasurer,  the  sum  of  £96  7s  Id.  for  upwards  of 
16  years  quit  Ifent. 

April  6,  1775.  Charles  Debevoice,  Collector  of 
the  town  of  Brooklyn,  paid  to  the  Receiver  Gener- 
al of  the  Colony  of  Few-York,  20  bushels  of  wheat, 
for  one  year's  quit  rent,  due  from  said  town. 

November  9,  1786.  Fernandus  Suydam,  and 
Charles  C.  Doughty,  two  of  the  Trustees  of  the 
town  of  Brooklyn,  paid  to  the  Treasurer  of  the 
State  of  New-York,  the  sum  of  £105  10s.  in  full 
for  arrears  of  quit  rent  due  from  the  said  town. 

Town  Rights  and  Ferries. 

The  difference  between  this  town  and  the  city  of 
New-York  relative  to  the  water  rights  of  the  for- 
mer, has  deservedly  excited  the  attention  and  inter- 
est of  our  inhabitants,  as  involving  property  to  a 
great  amount,and  unjustly  witholdingfrom  our  town 
a  revenue  which  would  enable  it  to  improve  with 
almost  unparalleled  rapidity.    In  order  that  each 


22 


person  so  interested  may  form  a  correct  opinion  of 
the  subject  matter  in  dispute,  the  Compiler  has 
thought  proper,  under  this  head,  to  lay  before  them 
the  foundations  of  the  claims  on  both  sides  of  the 
question. 

October  18,  1667.  In  the  reign  of  Charles  2d. 
Richard  Nicolls,  Esq.  Governor  General  of  the 
Province  of  New-York,  under  his  Royal  Highness 
James,  the  Duke  of  York,  &c.  afterwards  James  2d. 
of  England,  granted  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  tow  n 
a  confirmatory  patent,  acknowledging  that  they 
were  rightfully,  legally  and  by  authority  in  posses- 
sion of  the  property  and  privileges  they  then  enjoy- 
ed. The  patent  after  naming  the  patentees,  and 
describing  the  bounds  of  the  tow  n,  and  binding  by 
the  River  and  not  by  high  water  mark,  proceeds  to 
say,  "  Together  with  all  havens,  harbors,  creeks, 
marshes,  waters,  rivers,  lakes,  fisheries."  "  More- 
over, I  do  hereby  give,  ratify  and  confirm  unto  the 
said  patentees  and  their  associates,  their  heirs,  suc- 
cessors and  assigns,  all  the  rights  and  privileges  be- 
If  iging  to  a  town  within  this  government."  Un- 
der this  patent  the  town  of  Brooklyn  justly  claims 
the  land  between  high  and  low  water  mark  on  their 
shore,  in  opposition  to  the  claims  of  the  Corpora- 
tion of  the  city  of  New-York  ;  and  an  equal  right 
with  them  to  erect  ferries  between  the  town  of 
Brooklyn  and  the  city  of  New-York. 

It  does  not  appear  that  there  was  any  adverse 
claim'  on  the  part  of  New-York,  until  the  27th  of 
April,  1686,  nineteen  years  after  the  date  of  the 
Brooklyn  patent,  when  the  Corporation  of  Nevy- 
York  obtained  a  charter  from  Governor  Dongan, 
by  which  the  ferries  were  granted  to  them,  but  not 
a  word  mentioned  about  the  land  between  high  and 
low  water  mark  on  the  Brooklyn  side.  From  the 
reading  of  this  charter  it  appears  as  if  the  Gover- 


•23 


nor  was  doubtful  as  to  his  right  even  to  grant  the 
ferry,  for  it  contains  an  express  saving  of  all  the 
rights  of  all  other  persons,  bodies  politic  and  cor- 
porate, their  heirs,  successors  and  assigns,  in  as 
ample  a  manner,  as  if  that  charter  had  not  been 
made. 

May  13,  1686,  The  freeholders  and  inhabitants 
of  Brooklyn  somewhat  apprehensive  of  encroach- 
ments by  New-York,  obtained  from  Governor  Don- 
gan,  a  patent  under  the  seal  of  the  Colony,  fully 
confirming  that  granted  them  by  Governor  Nicolls. 

May  6,  1691.  An  art  was  passed  by  the  Gover- 
nor, Council  and  General  Assembly  of  the  Colony 
of  New-York,  "  for  settling,  quieting  and  confirm- 
ing unto  the  cities,  towTns,  manors,  and  freeholders 
within  this  Province,  their  several  grants,  patents 
and  rights  respectively."  By  this  act  the  freehold- 
ers and  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn  were 
confirmed  in  the  rights  they  possessed  and  enjoyed 
under  their  two  several  patents. 

October  12,  1694  The  Corporation  of  New- 
York,  not  thinking  their  foothold  on  the  Brooklyn 
side  sufficiently  secure,  purchased  of  one  William 
Morris,  for  no  specific  consideration,  a  piece  of  land 
in  Brooklyn  near  the  ferry.  This  deed  is  the 
foundation  of  the  Corporation  claim  to  their  land 
in  the  village  of  Brooklyn.  A  copy  of  which  will 
be  found  in  the  appendix  marked  with  the  letter  A. 

Bent  on  unjustly  wresting  from  the  town  of 
Brooklyn  their  water  right,  the  Corporation  on  the 
19th  of  April,  1708,  obtained  from  Governor  Corn- 
bury,  a  man  infamous  for  his  vices,  and  disregard 
of  justice,  another  charter,  in  which  they  came  out 
more  openly  than  before,  and  claimed  the  vacant 
land  to  high  water  mark,  on  Nassau  Island,  reserv- 
ing to  the  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn  the  right  of  trans- 
porting themselves  in  their  own  boats  ferriage  free. 


24 


to  and  from  Nesv-York.(s)  By  this  charter,  no 
matter  how  ample  soever  they  might  have  consider- 
ed it  at  the  time,  they  obtained  nothing  but  vacant 
land  to  high  water  mark  ;  that  is  the  land  which 
was  not  already  granted,  and  in  the  possession  of 
some  other  person  or  persons,  which  was  not  the 
fact  as  to  the  land  on  the  Brooklyn  side,  it  being 
vested  in  the  patentees,  their  heirs,  successors  and 
assigns  forever  ;  so  that  the  only  power  or  authority 
remaining  in  the  Governor,  was  to  grant  the  Cor- 
poration of  New- York,  the  privilege  of  buying  the 
water  rights  of  the  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn.  But 
that  would  not  answer  their  purpose,  for  those  rights 
could  be  bought  cheaper  of  Governor  Cornbury, 
than  they  could  of  this  town. 

This  proceeding  on  the  part  of  New-York  stim- 
ulated the  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn  to  obtain  from 
the  Colonial  Legislature  in  1721,  an  act  confirming 
their  patent  rights. 

To  obviate  the  effects  of  this  law,  and  strengthen 
the  charter  of  Cornbury,  which  from  the  circum- 
stances under  which  it  was  obtained,  the  Corpora- 
tion feared  was  invalid,  on  the  15th  of  January, 
1730,  they  procured  from  Governor  John  Montgo- 
merie,  a  new  charter  confirming  their  pretended 
right  to  the  land  to  high  water  mark  on  our  shore. (T) 

(6)  Although  the  bounds  of  this  grant  commences  about  250  yards  in 
the  town  of  Bushwick,  the  Corporation  of  New-York  have  made  no 
claic  to  land  be>  ond  the  Wallabought. 

(7)  There  was  seme  peculiar  circumstances  attending  the  consumma- 
tion of  this  charter,  which  the  Compiler  thinks  ought  to  be  known.  A 
short  time  previous  to  obtaining  the  charter,  the  Common  Council  of 
the  City  of  New-York  resolved  that  the  sum  of  LI  400  was  necessary  for 
the  procuring  of  tnat  instrument ;  L1000  oi*  which  sum  they  determined 
to  raise  immediately  by  a  loan  on  intererest  for  one  year  ;  which  they 
accordingly  did,  and  gave  a  mortgage  for  that  amount  to  James  De  Lan- 
cey,  Esq  dated  January  14,  1730.  Directly  after  the  execution  oi  this 
mortgage  they  resolved  to  address  the  Governor,  "  for  the  great  favour 
and  goodness  shewn  to  this  Corporation  in  granting  their  petition,  in 
ordering  and  directing  his  Majesty's  letters  patent  for  a  new  charter  and 
confirmation  to  this  Corporation,'"  and  prebably  informing  him  that  they 


25 


The  grants  from  the  Corporation  of  New-York, 
under  their  two  charters  for  the  water  lots  on  the 
Brooklyn  side,  are  very  artfully  and  ingeniously 
drawn.  By  those  grants  are  only  conveyed  "  all 
the  estate,  right,  title,  interest,  property,  claim,  and 
demand  whatsoever,  in  law  and  equity"  of  them  the 
said  Corporation ;  and  their  covenant  for  quiet  pos- 
session only  extends  to  them  and  their  successors, 
and  not  against  any  other  persons  lawfully  claiming 
the  premises.  These  grants,  in  order  to  save  the 
Corporation  harmless  against  the  claims  of  Brook- 
lyn, also  contained  a  covenant  to  the  following  ef- 
fect :  "  It  is  hereby  covenanted,  granted  and  agreed 
upon  by  and  between  the  parties  to  these  presents 
(that  is,  the  Corporation  of  New-York  and  the  per- 
son to  whom  they  give  the  grant,)  and  the  true 
intent  and  meaning  hereof  also  is,  and  it  is  hereby 
declared,  that  this  present  grant,  or  any  words,  or 
any  thing  in  the  same  expressed,  or  contained  shall 
not  be  adjudged,  deemed,  construed  or  taken  to  be  a 
covenant  or  covenants  on  the  part  and  behalf  of  the 
said  parties  of  the  first  part,  (that  is,  the  Corpora- 
tion of  New-York)  or  their  successors  for  any  pur- 
pose or  purposes  whatsoever,  but  only  to  pass  the 
estate,  right,  title,  and  interest,  they  have  or  may 
lawfully  claim  by  virtue  of  their  several  charters,  of 
in  and  to  the  said  premises."  Which  covenant 
evidently  shews  a  want  of  confidence  in  the  validity 
of  their  title  on  the  part  of  the  Corporation. 

October  14,  1732.  An  act  was  passed  by  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  this  Colony,  "  confirming  unto 

had  obtained  the  money.  The  consequence  was,  that  on  the  next  day, 
January  15,  1750,  the  charter  was  completed ;  and  on  paying  the  £1000 
was  delivered  to  them  on  the  1 1  th  day  of  February,  1730,  almost  a 
month  after  its  date.  By  which  it  appears  that  the  Corporation  of  New- 
York  still  continued  purchasing  the  right  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn  from 
the  Colonial  Governors,  See  List  of  Corporation  Charters  aod  grants, 
1747. 

ey 
O 


26 


the  City  of  New-York  its  rights  and  privileges. " 
By  this  act  no  addition  was  made  to  their  former 
pretended  rights. 

November  14,  1753.  The  freeholders  and  inhab- 
itants of  this  town  appointed  Jacobus  Lefferts,  Pe- 
ter Vandervoort,  Jacob  Remsen,  Rem  Remsen,  and 
Nicholas  Vechte,  Trustees,  "  to  defend  our  patent, 
where  in  any  manner  our  liberties,  privileges  and 
rights  in  our  patent  specified  is  encroached,  lessen- 
ed or  taken  away  by  the  commonalty  of  the  city 
of  New-York."  A  copy  of  the  proceeding  of  the 
town  meeting  at  which  the  above  trustees  were  elect- 
ed will  be  found  in  the  appendix  marked  B. 

Not  satisfied  with  the  encroachments  they  had 
made,  the  Corporation  began  to  question  the  right 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn  to  cross  to  anc1  from 
New-York  ferriage  free  in  their  own  boats,  and  to 
carry  over  the  inhabitants  in  those  boats; — the  re- 
sult was,  that  in  July,  1745,  a  suit  was  commenced 
by  one  of  the  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn,  named  Hen- 
drick  Remsen,  against  the  Corporation  of  New- 
York,  which  was  tried  before  a  jury  in  Westchester 
county.  A  special  verdict  was  found  setting  forth 
all  its  patents  and  charters,  and  among  other  things, 
that  the  road  from  w  hich  the  said  Hendrick  Rem- 
sen ferried  the  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn  to  and  from 
New-York,  "  then  and  long  before  was  laid  out  for 
a  public  highway  leading  down  to  low  water  mark 
on  the  East  River  between  the  places  aforesaid  call- 
ed th*  Wallaboucht  and  the  Red  Hook  on  Nassau 
Island,  and  the  jurors  aforesaid  upon  their  oath 
aforesaid,  do  further  say,  that  the  River  called  the 
East  River,  over  which  the  said  Hendrick  did  carry 
the  persons  and  goods  aforesaid,  from  the  said  lands 
between  the  Wallabocht  and  the  Red  Hook,  is  a 
large  and  public  and  navigable  river  used  by  his 
Majesty's  ships  and  other  ships  and  smaller  vessels 


-27 


employed  in  trade  and  commerce,  and  hath  always 
been  so  u^ed  from  the  first  settlement  of  this  Colo- 
ly."  On  argument  judgment  was  rendered  by  the 
Supreme  Court  of  this  Colony  in  the  month  of  Oc- 
tober, 1775,  in  favour  of  Hendrick  Remsen,  that 
he  recover  his  damages  against  the  Mayor,  Alder- 
men and  Commonalty  of  the  city  of  New-York,  and 
the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  eighteen  pounds,  four- 
teen shillings  and  ten  pence  halfpenny  for  his  costs 
and  charges.  An  appeal  to  the  King  and  Council 
from  this  decision,  was  brought  by  the  Corporation, 
which  was  not  determined  in  consequence  of  the 
Revolutionary  war.  There  is  a  tradition  in  this 
town  that  the  Corporation  of  New-York  were  so 
apprehensive  of  this  claim  on  the  part  of  the  town 
of  Brooklyn,  that  in  order  to  disengage  Hendrick 
Remsen  from  the  interest  of  the  town,  they  gave 
him  a  house  and  lot  of  land  near  Coenties  Slip,  in 
the  city  of  New-York.  How  far  this  tradition  is 
correct,  the  Compiler  is  unable  to  say. — It  appears 
however,  that  he  about  that  time  became  in  posses- 
sion of  such  property,  and  the  same  remained  in  his 
family  within  the  memory  of  some  of  our  inhabit- 
ants. 

Our  two  Patents  are  confirmed  by  the  Constitu- 
tion of  this  State,  which  confirms  all  grants  of  land 
within  the  State,  made  by  the  authority  of  the  King 
of  Great  Britain  or  his  predecessors,  prior  to  the 
14th  of  August,  1775. 

The  Compiler  thinking  it  would  not  be  uninter- 
esting to  his  fellow  citizens  to  see  a  statement  of  the 
amount  received  by  the  Corporation  of  New-York 
for  quit  rent  on  the  water  lots  claimed  by  them,  has 
given  the  following  short  statement. 

The  Commissioners  of  the  Sinking  Fund  of  the 
City  of  New-York  have  received,,  from  August  23d. 
1813,  to  Dec.  31,  1824. 


28 


For  Water  lot  rents,  $17,635  24 

Commutation  for  water  lot  rents,    17,275  41 


$34,910  65 

The  Corporation  of  New-York  during  the  pre- 
sent year  1824,  have  received  for  water  lot  rents 
the  sum  of  -       -       -       $8,862  97 

Within  a  short  time  the  jurisdiction  of  the  village 
of  Brooklyn  has  been  extended  beyond  low  water 
mark,  leaving  the  pretended  right  of  soil  still  in  the 
Corporation  of  New-York.(8)  August  term,  1821, 
in  the  case  of  Udall  vs.  the  Trustees  of  Brooklyn, 
the  Supreme  Court  of  this  State  decided  that  Kings 
County,  of  which  the  village  of  Brooklyn  is  part, 
includes  all  the  wharves,  docks,  and  other  artificial 
erections  in  the  East  River,  opposite  to  the  City  of 
New- York,  though  west  of  the  natural  low  water 
mark  on  the  Nassau  or  Long-Island  shore  ;  and  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  village  extends  to  the  actual  line 
of  low  water,  whether  formed  by  natural  or  artifi- 
cial means.  Same  term,  in  the  case  of  Stryker  vs. 
the  Mayor,  &c.  of  the  City  of  New-York,  the  Su- 
preme Court  decided  that  the  city  and  county  of 
New-York  includes  the  whole  of  the  Rivers  and 
harbour  adjacent  to  actual  low  water  mark,  on  the 
opp  site  shores,  as  the  same  may  be  formed,  from 
time  to  time,  by  docks,  wharves  and  other  perma- 
nent erections  ;  and  although  thejurisdiction  cf  the 
city  does  not  extend  so  as  to  include  such  wharves, 
or  artificial  erections,  yet  it  extends  over  the  ships 
and  vessels  floating  on  the  water,  though  they  be 
fastened  to  such  wharves  or  docks. 

(8)  The  jurisdiction  of  New-Vork  by  their  first  charter  in  1686,  was 
limited  to  low  water  mark  around  Manhattan  Island  ;  but  was  extended 
to  low  water  mark  on  the  Brooklyn  side  by  Governor  Montgomery** 
charter  in  1730. 


29 


April  9,  1824.  The  Legislature  of  the  State  of 
New-York  in  the  act  to  amend  the  act  entitled  "  an 
Act  to  incorporate  and  vest  certain  powers  in  the 
freeholders  and  inhabitants  of  the  village  of  Brook- 
lyn in  the  County  of  Kings,"  granted  this  town 
concurrent  jurisdiction  with  the  Cit}7  of  New-York 
in  the  service  of  process,  in  actions  civil  and  cri- 
minal, on  board  of  vessels  attached  to  our  wharves  ; 
and  in  the  act  for  the  establishment  of  a  Board  of 
Health  in  the  village  of  Brooklyn,  authority  is  giv- 
en to  the  said  Board  to  remove  all  infected  vessels 
from  the  wharves  within  the  said  village. 

The  ferries  have  been  unavoidably,  in  some  de- 
gree, taken  into  consideration  when  speaking  of 
our  town  rights.  The  compiler  will  therefore  con- 
fine himself  to  such  historical  facts,  and  laws,  and 
such  proceedings,  passed  and  had  by  the  Colonial 
and  State  legislatures  as  may  relate  particularly  to 
them. 

During  the  early  years  of  this  Colony,the  old  ferry 
was  from  near  the  foot  of  Joralemon-street,  to  the 
Breede  Graft,  now  Broad-street,  in  the  City  of  New- 
York  At  that  period  a  creek  ran  through  the  mid- 
dle of  Broad-street,  up  which  the  boats  ascended  to 
a  ferry-house  which  is  still  standing.  At  this  time 
it  is  difficult  to  ascertain  the  exact  period  w  hen  the 
old  ferry  was  established  at  its  present  situation  on 
the  Brooklyn  side.  In  1697.  John  Aeresen  was 
ferry  master. 

It  appears  from  the  following  order,  that  the 
Court  of  Sessions  of  Kings  County,  exercised  some 
authority  over  the  ferry  between  Brooklyn  and 
New-York.  October  7,  1690.  "  Whereas  much  in- 
convenience does  arise  by  several  negroes  coming 
on  this  Island  from  New-York  and  other  places5 
and  from  this  Island  to  New- York.    It  is  ordered; 


30 


that  the  ferrymen  shall  not  bring  or  set  over  any 
negroes  or  slaves  upon  the  Sabbath  day,  without  a 
ticket  from  their  masters." 

Acts  have  been  passed  by  the  Colonial  and  State 
legislatures  for  the  purpose  of  regulating  the  ferries 
between  this  town  and  the  City  of  New-York,  to  the 
following  chronological  order : 

November  2d,  1717,  an  act  was  passed,  which 
was  revived  in  the  year  1726,  and  again  in  1727, 
October  14,  1732.  Another  act  was  passed  for  the 
same  purpose.  By  this  act  it  was  provided,  "  That 
the  ferryman  for  the  time  being,  shall  not  impose, 
exact,  demand,  or  receive  any  rates  or  ferriage  for 
any  goods  or  things  whatsoever,  transported  by  any 
of  the  inhabitants  living  alongst  the  River  at  or 
near  the  Ferry  on  Nassau-Island,  in  their  own  boats 
or  canoes."  provided  that  the  same  be  their  own 
goods  or  commodities.  This  act  continued  in  force 
until  the  28th  of  February,  1789,  when  another  act 
was  passed  regulating  the  ferriage,  and  containing 
a  similar  proviso.  April  9,1813.  The  last  men- 
tioned law  was  re-enacted,  with  the  same  provision, 

The  winter  previous  to  the  prosecution  of  the  suit 
between  Hendrick  Remsen,  and  the  Corporatiun  of 
the  City  of  New-York,  the  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn 
made  an  attempt  to  obtain  from  the  Colonial  legis- 
lature^ further  confirmation  of  some  of  their  rights, 
particularly  relating  to  the  ferry  ;  on  which  appli- 
cation the  following  proceedings  were  had. 

January  30,  1745 — 6.  In  General  Assembly,  a 
petition  of  the  Trustees  of  the  town  of  Brookland, 
in  Kings  County,  in  behalf  of  themselves,  and  the 
freeholders  and  inhabitants  of  the  said  township, 
was  presented  to  the  House  and  read,  setting  forth, 
That  a  great  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  said 
township,  living  near  the  ferry  from  Nassau-Island 
to  New-York,  and  having  their  chief  dependence 


31 


of  supporting  their  families  by  trading  to  the  New- 
York  markets,  are  by  one  act  of  the  General  As- 
sembly, entitled,  an  act  to  regulate  the  ferry  between 
the  City  of  New-York  and  the  Island  of  Nassau, 
and  to  establish  the  ferriage  thereof,  passed  in  the 
sixth  year  of  his  Majesty's  reign,  debarred  from 
transporting  their  goods  in  their  own  vessels,  to  the 
said  markets,  which  exposes  them  to  very  great 
hardships,  difficulties  and  expences,  and  therefore 
humbly  praying  that  they  may  have  leave  to  bring 
in  a  bill  to  relieve  them  from  the  aforesaid  hard- 
ships. Upon  a  motion  of  Major  Van  Home,  (of 
New-York)  ordered,  :hat  the  Clerk  of  this  house 
serve  the  Corporation  of  the  City  of  New-York, 
with  a  copy  of  the  said  petition  forthwith. 

In  General  Assembly,  April  12,  1746,  Mr.  Abra- 
ham Lott,  according  to  leave,  presented  to  the 
house,  a  bill  entitled,  "  an  act  to  repeal  an  act  there- 
in mentioned,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  freeholders 
and  inhabitants  of  the  township  o!  Brooklyn,  in 
Kings  County,  within  this  colony which  was 
read  the  first  time,  and  ordered  a  second  reading. — 
Ordered,  that  the  Corporation  of  the  C  ity  of  New- 
York,  be  served  with  a  copy  of  the  said  bill. 

April  18,  1746.  In  General  Assembly.  The 
bill  entitled,  an  act  to  repeal  an  act  therein  men- 
tioned, so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  freeholders  and  in- 
habitants of  the  township  of  Brooklyn,  in  Kings 
County,  within  this  colony,  being  offered  to  be  read 
a  second  time,  Capt.  Richards  (of  New-York)  mov- 
ed, that  the  second  reading  of  the  said  bill  might 
be  deferred  until  the  next  meeting  of  the  House,  af- 
ter the  first  day  of  June  next ;  which  was  agreed  to 
by  the  House  and  ordered  accordingly. 

June  20,  1746.  In  General  Assembly.  A  peti- 
tion of  the  Mayor,  Aldermen  and  Commonalty,  of 
the  City  of  New-York,  was  presented  to  the  House 


32 


and  read,  setting  forth,  That  the  Corporation  hav- 
ing been  served  with  a  copy  of  a  bill  now  before 
this  House,  entitled,  an  act  to  repeal  an  act  therein 
mentioned,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  freeholders  and 
inhabitants  of  the  township  of  Brooklyn,  in  Kings 
County,  within  this  colony ;  do  conceive  that  the 
passing  the  said  Bill  into  a  law,  may  affect  their 
ancient  rights  and  freehold,  and  therefore  humbly 
praying  that  they  may  be  heard  by  their  Counsel 
against  the  said  bill,  at  the  bar  of  this  House,  on 
Friday  next,  ordered,  that  the  Trustees  of  the  town- 
ship of  Brooklyn,  be  heard  by  their  counsel  in  sup- 
port of  the  said  Bill,  at  the  bar  of  this  house,  on 
Friday  next,  and  that  Mr.  William  Smith  appear 
for  them.  Ordered,  that  the  Clerk  of  this  house 
serve  the  parties  with  a  copy  of  these  order.,  forth- 
with. 

June  27,  1746.  In  General  Assembly.  The 
House  being  informed,  that  the  Corporation  of  the 
City  of  New-York  were  attending  with  their  Coun- 
sel to  be  heard  against  the  Bill  ;  and  that  the  Trus- 
tees of  the  township  of  Brooklyn,  were  also  attend- 
ing with  their  Counsel  to  be  heard  in  support  of  the 
said  Bill;  both  parties  were  called  in,  and  the  coun- 
sel on  both  sides  having  been  fully  heard,  for  and 
against  the  said  Bill,  they  were  directed  to  with- 
draw ;  and  the  Bill  being  read  the  second  time,  the 
question  was  put, — whether  the  said  Bill  should  be 
committed,  and  carried  in  the  affirmative  in  the 

ma\ner  following:  Affirmative,    Messrs.  Lott, 

Chambers,  Still  well,  Livingston,  Harring,  Cornell, 
Abraham  Lott,  Lecount,  Bradt,  Nicoll,  Harden- 
bergh,  and  Gale  12. — Negative,  Messrs.  Richards^ 
Cruger,  C  larkson,  Van  Home,  Philipse,  Morris, 
Verplank,  and  Thomas,  8. 

July  4,  174G.  In  General  Assembly,  the  engross- 
ed Bill  entitled^  an  act  to  repeal  an  act  therein  men- 


33 


tioned,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  freeholders  and  in- 
habitants of  the  township  of  Brooklyn,  in  Kings 
County,  within  this  colony,  was  read  the  third  time, 
and  upon  Mr.  Speaker's  putting  the  question,  whe- 
ther the  Bill  should  pass,  a  motion  was  made  by 
Col.  Morris  in  the  words  following,  viz. — As  this 
Bill  has  been  already  ordered  to  be  engrossed,  by 
a  majority  of  the  House,  and  the  question  that  now7 
is  put,  is,  whether  this  Bill  shall  pass  ;  1  must  beg 
leave  to  give  my  reasons  for  opposing  its  passage. 
The  first  is,  it  is  alledged  by  this  bill,  that  the  peo- 
ple of  Brooklyn  had  a  right,  prior  to  the  act  pass- 
ed in  the  year  1732,  which  was  not  proved,  nor  at- 
tempted upon  the  hearing  before  this  house ;  but  if 
we  pass  this  Bill,  we  allow  that  right  to  be  proved, 
and  then  it  becomes  our  allegation,  which  I  con- 
ceive, inconsistent  with  the  honor  and  justice  of  this 
house,  to  alledge  any  thing  in  such  a  case,  but  what 
has  been  proved.  The  second  is,  it  implies  that 
the  act  in  1732,  took  away  unjustly,  a  right  from 
the  people  of  Brooklyn,  that  they  were  entitled  to. 
Thirdly,  it  implies,  thnt  the  house  have  fixed  the 
two  points  before  mentioned,  and  then  it  will  ne- 
cessarily follow,  that  we  have  considered  the  rights 
of  the  Corporation, (9)  as  well  as  those  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Brooklyn  ;  that  we  have  not,  I  appeal  to  the 
house,  who  must  allow,  that  no  such  right  ever  ap- 
peared to  us,  at  least  as  a  House,  and  for  us  to  de- 
clare certain  facts  by  a  Bill,  which  has  never  been 
proved,  will  be  doing,  what  1  conceive,  we  ought 
not  to  do,  if  we  make  justice  and  equity  the  rule  of 
our  conduct.  For  these  reasons,  1  move,  that  the 
Bill  may  be  rejected.    The  question  being  put 

(9)  For  what  purpose  was  it,  that  the  Corporation's  Counsel  was 
heard  at  the  bar  of  the  House,  if  not  to  advance  and  support  their  rights? 
If  it  was  not  done  at  that  time,  thejplain  inference  would  be,  that  thej' 
*.vere  aware  they  had  no  right. 


34 


thereon  it  was  carried  in  the  negative,  in  the  man 

ner  following,  viz.  For  the  negative,  Messrs. 

Chambers,  Lott,  Cornell,  Hardenbergh,  A.  Lott, 
Bradt,  Lecount,  Gale,  and  Barring,  9.  Affirma- 
tive, Messrs.  Cruger,  Morris,  Richards,  Van  Home, 
Clarkson,  Verplank,  Philipse,  and  Thomas,  8. 

Resolved,  That  the  Bill  do  pass.  Ordered,  that 
Colonel  Harring,  and  Mr.  Hardenbergh  do  carry 
the  Bill  to  the  Council  and  desire  their  concurrence. 
By  which  it  appears  that  it  was  considered  by  the 
House,  as  well  as  subsequently  by  the  Supreme 
Court,  that  the  right  of  the  town  was  sufficiently 
proved,  notwithstanding  the  assertions  of  Colonel 
Morris. 

This  Bin  by  some  means  was  stifled  in  the  Coun- 
cil^1 °)  and  never  became  a  law. 

During  the  Revolution  the  Old  ferry  was  kept  by 
Messrs.  Van  Winkle,  and  Bukett ;  at  which  period 
the  usual  charge  for  crossing  was  six  pence  for  each 
passenger. 

August  1,  1795.  The  ferry  from  the  foot  of  Main- 
street,  Brooklyn,  to  the  foot  of  Catharine-street, 
New-York,  commonly  called  the  New  ferry,  was 
established  by  Messrs.  William  Furman  and  Theo- 
dosius  Hunt,  lessees  from  the  Corporation  of  the 
City  of  New- York. 

In  consequence  of  the  prevalence  of  the  Yellow 
fever  in  Brooklyn,  in  the  month  of  August,  1809, 
the  old  ferry  was  removed  to  the  foot  of  Joralemon 
street,  and  the  boats  plied  from  there  to  Whitehall, 
New- York. 

On  the  4th  day  of  March,  1814.  The  legisla- 
ture of  this  State  passed  an  act  allowing  William 

(10)  The  Council  wa3  appointed  by  the  King's  mandamus  and  sign 
manual,  and  all  their  privileges  and  powers  were  contained  in  the  Go- 
vernor's instructions.  The  tenure  of  their  places  was  extremely  preca- 
rious.   See  Smith's  History  of  New-York,  p.  364. 


35 


Cutting  and  others  his  associates,  to  charge  four 
cents  for  each  passenger  crossing  in  the  Steam-boat 
to  be  by  them  placed  on  the  Old  ferry.  Previous 
to  this,  the  fare  was  two  cents  for  each  passenger, 
May,  1814,  the  Steam- boat  commenced  plying  on 
the  old  ferry  between  Brooklyn  and  New-York. 

This  Ferry  Company  derive  their  interest  in  the 
old  or  Fulton  ferry,  from  a  lease  executed  January 
24th,  1814,  by  the  Mayor,  Aldermen  and  Common- 
alty of  the  City  of  New-York,  to  Robert  Fulton, 
and  William  Cutting,  The  rent  reserved  by  the 
Corporation  on  this  lease  is  $4000  per  annum  for 
the  first  18  years,  and  $4500  per  annum  for  the  re- 
maining 7  years^11)  1c  is  a  difficult  matter  to 
speak  correctly  of  the  present  income  of  this  ferry. 
At  its  first  establishment  the  dividends  were  made 
on  a  capital  estimated  at  $45,000,  divided  into 
shares  of  $1000  each,  and  were  made  at  the  rate  of 
5  per  cent,  for  six  months  and  what  remained  after 
this  5  per  cent,  taken  out,  formed  the  surplus  divi- 
dend. From  May  1814,  to  November  1815,  the 
regular  dividends  on  one  share  amounted  to  $157 
11  A,  and  during  the  same  period  the  surplus  divi- 
dend amounted  to  $228  21  J,  making  a  dividend  of 
$385  33,  on  one  share  for  about  18  months  equal 
to  about  25  percent,  per  annum. 

At  the  Session  of  the  Legislature  in  the  winter 
of  1818,  the  Corporation  of  New-York  presented 
a  petition  praying  that  they  might  have  the  re- 
gulation of  the  rates  of  ferriage  between  this  town 
and  the  city  of  New-York — against  which  the  Trus- 
tees of  the  village  of  Brooklyn,  and  the  inhabitants 
of  this  town  strongly  remonstrated,  stating  that 
€i  they  had  full  confidence  that  the  Legislature  of 

(11)  The  Corporation  of  New- York,  during  tiie  year  1824,  have  re 
reived  from  the  ferries,  the  sum  of  D 1 2,003  7,5, — more  than  3-4ths  of 
vrhich  sum  is  from  the  ferries  on  the  East  River. 


36 


this  state  would  never  increase  the  rates  of  ferriage, 
nor  permit  the  same  to  be  increased,  beyond  what 
is  necessary  to  support  the  ferries  in  the  best  man- 
ner; they  therefore  prayed  that  the  Legislature 
would  not  surrender  to  the  Corporation  of  New- 
York  a  right,  which  had  been  reserved  by  the  Legis- 
lature, and  which  the  petitioners  deemed  of  the 
greatest  importance  to  the  inhabitants  of  Nassau- 
Island." 

ROADS   AND   PUBLIC   LANDING  PLACES. 

This  town  appears  to  have  entered  early  into  the 
contest  respecting  roads.  There  are  many  instan- 
ces on  record  previous  to  1683,  of  the  Constable  of 
Brooklyn  being  ordered  to  repair  the  roads,  and 
in  case  of  neglect,  fined  ;  and  in  one  instance  he  was 
ordered  by  the  Court  not  to  depart  until  further 
order. 

The  main  road,  or  as  part  of  it  is  now  called, 
Fulton-street,  in  the  village  of  Brooklyn,  was  laid 
out  March  28th,  1704,  by  Joseph  Hageman,  Peter 
Cortelyou,  and  Benjamin  Vandewater,  Commissi- 
oners, appointed  by  an  act  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  the  colony  of  New-York,  for  the  laying  out, 
regulating,  clearing  and  preserving  of  public  high- 
ways in  the  colony.  The  record  of  this  road  is  as 
follows  : — "  One  publique,  common  and  general 
highway,  to  begin  ffrom  low  water  marke  at  the  fer- 
ry in  the  township  of  Broockland,  in  Kings  county, 
and  ffrom  thence  to  run  ffour  rod  wide  up  between 
toe  houses  and  lands  of  John  Aerson.  John  Coe, 
and  George  Jacobs,  and  soe  all  along  to  Broock- 
land towne  aforesaid,  through  the  lane  that  now  is, 
and  ffrom  thence  straight  along  a  certaine  lane  to 
the  Southward  corner  of  John  Van  Couwenhoven's 
land,  and  ffrom  thence  straight  to  Bedford  as  it  is 
now  staked  out,  to  the  lane  where  the  house  of  Ben- 


37 


jaiiiin  Vandewater  stands,  and  firom  thence  straight 
along  through  Bedfford  towne  to  Bedfford  lane, 
running  between  the  lands  of  John  Garretse,  Dor- 
lant  and  Claes  Barnse,  to  the  rear  of  the  lands  of 
the  said  Cloyse,  and  ffrom  thence  southerly  to  the 
old  path  now  in  use,  and  soe  all  along  said  path  to 
Philip  Volkertses  land,  taking  in  a  little  slip  of  said 
Philip's  land  on  the  south  corner,  soe  all  along  said 
road  by  Isaack  Greg's  house  to  the  Fflackbush  new 
lotts  ffence,  and  soe  all  along  said  ffence  to  the  east- 
ward, to  the  north-east  corner  of  Eldert  Lucas's 
land,  lying  within  the  New  lotts,  of  Fflattbush  afore- 
said, being  flour  rod  wide  all  along,  to  be  and  con- 
tinue forever." 

This  road  or  "  king's  highway,"  as  it  was  then 
called,  leading  from  the  ferry  to  the  old  Dutch 
Church,  or  Brooklyn  parish,  was  the  cause  of  much 
contention.  At  the  April  term  of  the  General  Ses- 
sions of  the  Peace  for  Kings  County,  in  1721,  in- 
dictments were  found  for  encroaching  on  the  "  com- 
mon high  way  oi  the  King,  leading  from  the  ferry 
to  the  Church  at  Brookland,"  against  John  Rap- 
alje,  Hans  Bergen  and  James  Harding,  and  others. 
— By  which  indictments  it  appears  that  the  road 
should  have  been  four  rods  wide. 

These  indictments  appear  to  have  been  predicat- 
ed as  well  on  the  following  application  of  John 
Rapalje  and  Hans  Bergen,  as  on  complaints  from 
several  of  the  inhabitants  : 

"  Fflatbush,  April  19,  1721.  John  Rapalje  and 
Hans  Bergen  of  the  fferry,  desires  of  the  grand  jury 
that  the  Commissioners  now  being  should  be  pre- 
sented for  not  doing  their  duty  in  laying  out  the 
king's  highway  accordiug  to  ye  law,  being  the 
King's  highway  is  too  narrow  from  the  ferry  to  one 
Nicalus  Covvenhoven,  living  at  Brooklyn  and  if 
all  our  neighbours  will  make  ye  road  according  to 

4 


38 


law,  then  ye  said  John  Rapelje  and  Hans  Bergen, 
is  willing  to  do  the  same  as  aforesaid,  being  they 
are  not  willing  to  suffer  more  than  their  neighbours. 
As  witness  our  hands  the  day  and  year  first  above 
written.  JAN  RAPELJE, 

HANS  BERGEN." 

Some  of  the  persons  indicted  considering  them- 
selves aggrieved,  and  others  who  feared  being  pla- 
ced in  the  same  situation,  applied  to  the  Colonial 
Legislature,  and  July  27th,  1721,  obtained  the  pass- 
age of  a  law  to  "  continue  the  common  road  or 
king's  highway,  from  the  ferry,  towards  the  town  of 
Breuckland,  on  the  Island  of  Nassau,  in  the  Pro- 
vince of  New  York,"  with  the  following  preamble. 
"  Whereas  several  of  the  inhabitants  on  the  ferry, 
t>n  the  Island  of  Nassau,  by  their  petition  preferred 
to  the  General  Assembly,  by  setting  forth,  that  they 
have  been  molested  prosecutions,  occasioned  by  the 
contrivance  and  instigations  of  ill  and  disaffected 
persons  to  the  neighbourhood,  who  would  encroach 
upon  the  buildings  and  fences  that  have  been  made 
many  years,  alledging  the  road  was  not  wide  enough, 
cO  the  great  damage  of  several  of  the  old  inhabit- 
ants, on  the  said  ferry  ;  the  said  road  as  it  now  is, 
has  been  so  for  at  least  these  sixty  years  past,  with- 
out any  complaint,  either  of  the  inhabitants  or 
travellers." 

The  law  then  proceeds  to  establish  the  road  "  for- 
ever," as  it  then  was,  from  the  ferry  upwards  to  the 
town  of  Breuckland,  as  far  as  the  swinging  gate  of 
John  Rapalje,  just  above  the  house  and  land  be- 
longing to  James  Harding.  These  proceedings 
will  readily  account  for  Fulton-street,  in  the  pre- 
sent village  of  Brooklyn  being  so  narrow  and 
crooked  in  many  places. 


39 


The  point  however  to  which  the  Compiler  wish- 
es to  draw  the  attention  of  his  fellow  citizens,  is  to 
the  existence  and  location  of  several  public  high- 
ways and  landing-places  in  this  town  which  at  pre- 
sent are  known  to  very  few. 

There  is  a  public  landing-place  at  or  near  the 
mills  of  Nehemiah  Denton,  Esq.  and  a  public  high- 
way leading  thereto. — The  record  of  which  is  as 
follows  : — "  One  common  highway  to  Gawanus 
mill,  to  begin  ffrom  the  north-east  corner  of  LefTert 
Peterses  ffence,  and  soe  along  the  roade  westerly, 
as  it  is  now  in  use  to  the  lane  yt  parts  the  lands  of 
Hendrick  Vechte,  and  Abraham  Brower,  and  Nich- 
olas Brower,  and  soe  all  along  said  lane  as  it  is 
now  in  ffence  to  the  house  of  Jurian  Collier,  and 
from  thence  all  along  the  roade  now  in  use  to  the 
said  Gowanos  mill,  being  in  all  four  rod  wide  to 
the  said  lane  ;  and  that  there  be  a  convenient  land- 
ing place  for  all  persons  whatsoever,  to  begin  ffrom 
the  southermost  side  of  said  Gowanus  mill  house, 
and  flVom  said  house  t^  run  flour  rod  to  the  south- 
ward, ffor  the  transportation  of  goods  and  the  com- 
modious passing  of  travellers  ;  and  that  said  high- 
way to  said  Gowanos  mill  ffrom  said  house  of  said 
Jurian  Collier  shall  be  but  two  rod  only  and  where 
it  is  now  in  use  ;  said  common  highway  to  be  and 
continue  forever  ;  and  ffurther  that  the  ffence  and 
gate  that  now  stands  upon  the  entrance  into  said 
mill  neck,  ffor  the  inclosing  and  securing  of  said 
neck,  shall  soe  remaine  and  be  alwayes  kept  soe  in- 
closed with  a  ffence  and  hanging  gate;  and  the  way 
to  said  mill  to  be  thorow  that  gate  only  and  to  be 
allwayes  shutt  or  put  to  by  all  persons  that  passes 
thorow."  The  Commissioners  laid  out  the  above 
road  and  landing  place,  March  28th,  1704. 

In  1709,  the  Commissioners  laid  out  another 
road  and  landing  place,  at  or  near  the  mill  of  John 
C.  Freeke,  Esq.  The  record  of  which  is  as  fol- 


40 


lows  : — "  One  common  highway  to  begin  flrom  the 
house  of  Jurian  Collier  to  the  New  mill  of  Nicholas 
Brower,  now  sett  up  on  Gowanos  mill  neck  soe 
called,  as  the  way  is  now  in  use  along  said  neck  to 
said  mill  to  be  of  two  rod  wide  ;  and  that  there  shall 
be  a  landing  place  by  said  mill  in  the  most  conve- 
nient place  ffor  the  transportation  of  goods  and  the 
commodious  passing  of  travellers  ;  and  said  high- 
way and  landing  place  to  be,  remaine  and  con- 
tinue forever." 

This  town  has  a  public  landing  place  seven  rods 
in  length,  near  the  foot  of  what  is  now  called  Dis- 
trict-street, in  the  village  of  Brooklyn. — This  land- 
ing place  is  *nentioned  in  the  record  of  a  road  three 
rods  wide,  leading  to  the  same,  which  record  the 
Compiler  omits  inserting  in  consequence  of  its 
length  and  the  multitude  of  entries  connected  there- 
with. 

It  is  believed  by  many,  and  not  without  very 
good  reason,  that  this  town  has  a  public  landing 
place  a  short  distance  to  the  North  of  the  Old  or 
Fulton  ferry,  and  which  landing  place  is  now  in  the 
possession  of  the  Corporation  of  New-York. 

There  is  a  very  distinct  tradition  of  a  road  to  near 
where  this  landing  place  is  supposed  to  have  been, 
at  the  foot  of  which  road  was  the  public  slaughter 
house,  where  the  butchers  of  Brookyn  dressed  their 
meats.  The  road  referred  to,  came  out  where  the 
house  of  the  Fire  Engine  No.  4  now  stands,  and  the 
existence  of  that  road  gives  the  town  its  title  to  that 
small  piece  of  ground. 

COMMON  LANDS,   AND  THE  DIVISION  THEREOF. 

The  town  having  acquired  so  great  an  extent  of 
Common  land  by  the  purchase  of  1670,  from  the 
Indians,  the  inhabitants  thought  proper  to  take 
some  order  for  the  division  and  defending  thereof, 
together  with  their  other  lands — accordingly,  "  at 


41 


a  Town  meeting  held  the  25th  day  of  February, 
169§,  att  Breuklyn,  in  Kings  County.  Then  Re- 
solved to  divide  their  common  lands  and  woods  into 
three  parts,  in  manner  following  to  witt : 

1.  All  the  lands  and  woods  after  Bedford  and 
Cripplebush,  over  the  hills  to  the  path  of  Newlotts 
shall  belong  to  the  inhabitants  and  freeholders  of  the 
Gowanis,  beginning  from  Jacob  Brewer  and  soe  to 
the  uttermost  bounds  of  the  limits  of  New-Utrecht. 

2.  And  all  the  lands  and  woods  that  lyes  be- 
twixt the  abovesaid  path  and  the  highway  from  the 
ferry  towards  Flattbush,  shall  belong  to  the  free- 
holders and  inhabitants  of  Bedford  and  Cripple- 
bush. 

3.  And  all  the  lands  that  lyes  in  common  after 
the  Gowanis,  betwixt  the  limits  and  bounds  of  Flat- 
bush  and  New  Utrecht  shall  belong  to  the  freehold- 
ers and  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn,  fred.  neck,  the  fer- 
ry and  the  VVallabout."  This  proceeding  of  the 
Town  meeting  was  allowed  of  by  the  Court  of  Ses- 
sions, held  at  Fhtbush,  on  the  10th  day  of  x\lay, 
1693. 

The  following  will  serve  to  shew  the  manner  in 
which  the  inhabitants  or  this  town  elected  the  Trus- 
tees of  their  common  lands,  and  the  duties  of  tiiose 
Trustees.  "  Att  a  towne  meeting  held  this  29th 
day  off  April],  1699,  at  Breucklyn,  by  order  off 
Justice  Machiel  Hanssen,  ffor  to  chose  townsmen 
ffor  to  order  all  townes  busines  and  todeffend  theire 
Hmitts  and  bounds  and  to  dispose  and  lay  out  sum 
part  thereoff  in  lotts,  to  make  lawes  and  orders  ffor 
the  best  off  the  inhabitants,  and  to  raise  a  small  tax 
ffor  to  defray  the  towne  charges,  now  being  or  here- 
affter  to  come,  to  receive  towns  revenues  and  to  pay 
townes  debts,  and  that  with  the  advice  off  the  Jus- 
tices off  this  said  towne  standing  the  space  and  time 
off  two  years.  Chosen  ffor  that  purpose  by  plural- 
4* 


42 


itie  off  votes.  Benjamin  Vande  Water,  Joores 
Hanssen,  Jan  Garretse  Dorlant. 

By  order  of  inhabitants  afforesaid 
J.  VANDE  WATER,  Clarke." 

These  proceedings  were  recorded  by  order  of  the 
Court  of  Sessions,  on  the  9th  day  of  May,  1699. 

The  following  proceeding  is  curious,  setting  forth 
the  ancient  practice  of  tradesmen  cutting  down 
timber  in  the  public  woods,  and  the  regulations 
made  respecting  the  same.  It  appears  that  directly 
after  the  Trustees  were  chosen  by  the  above  meet- 
ing they  together  with  the  Justices,  held  the  follow- 
ing meeting.  "  Att  a  meeting  held  this  29th  day 
off  Aprill,  (1699J  in  Breucklyn,  Present,  Benja- 
min Vande  Water,  Jooris  Hanssen,  Jan  Geritse 
Dorlant,  being  choisen  townsmen  in  the  presence 
and  with  the  advice  off  the  Justices  off  this  towne. 

Considering  the  greate  inconvenience,  lose  and 
hitrest  that  the  inhabitants  off  this  towne  have  by 
reason  that  the  tradesmen  here  living  in  this  towne 
doe  ffall  and  cutt  the  best  trees  and  sully  the  best  of 
our  woods  and  sell  the  worke  thereoff  made  the  most 
jjart  to  others  living  withoute  the  towne,  and  that 
the  shoemakers  and  others  doe  cutt  and  fall  all  the 
best  treese  ffor  the  barke,  and  the  wood  lyes  and 
soit,  and  that  some  persons  doe  cutt  and  ffall  trees 
for  timber  and  ffensing  stuff,  and  leave  the  trees  in 
the  woods  soe  cutt  until  they  are  spoilt,  and  that 
people  off  other  towns  come  and  cutt  and  fall  trees 
iFur  timber,  ffensing  stuff,  and  ffire  woods,  and  trans- 
port the  same  away  out  off  our  townes  bounds  and 
limitts,  and  that  without  leave  or  consent  off  the 
towne,  soe  that  in  the  time  off  flew  yeares  there  shall 
bee  no  woods  leaved  ffor  the  inhabitants  ffor  timber 
or  ffensing  stuff  to  the  ruine  off  the  said  towne.  It 
is  thereffore  ordered.  That  ffrom  the  date  hereoff  no 


43 


tradesman  shall  make  any  worke  ffor  to  sell  to 
others  without  thee  towne,  ffrom  wood  soe  cutt  as 
afforesaid  as  only  ffrom  old  wood. 

That  no  shoemaker  or  others  shall  cutt  or  ffall 
any  trees  ffor  to  barke  in  the  common  woods  up- 
pon  the  penaltie  off  ffive  pound  ffor  every  tree  soe 
cutt. 

That  no  men  shall  leave  any  timber,  ffensing 
stuffe,  or  other  wood  in  the  woods  longer  as  six 
weeks  affter  itt  is  cutt,  uppon  the  penaltie,  that  itt 
shall  be  ffree  ffor  others  to  take  and  carry  the  same 
away  as  theire  owne  wood.  And  that  iff  any  one 
off  otner  townes  shall  be  ffounden  within  our  townes 
limitts  to  cutt  or  carry  away  any  sorts  off  woods 
ffor  timber,  ffensing  stuff  or  ffire  wood,  that  itt  shall 
bee  ffree  ffor  any  one  off  this  towne  to  take  it  away 
and  to  take  out  writ  to  arrest,  or  to  apprehend  such 
offender  or  offender*  presently,  and  that  the  Justices 
off  this  towne  shall  answer  the  action  as  iff  itt  were 
done  by  theire  owneselves  (* 2)  These  proceedings 
were  also  recorded  by  order  of  the  Court  of  Ses- 
sions. 

u  Towne  meeting  held  this  5th  day  off  May, 
1701,  by  order  off  Justices  Cornells  Sebringh  and 
Machiell  Hanssen.  We  the  major  part  off  the  ffree- 
holders  off  Breucklyn  doe  hereby  nominate,  consti- 
tute and  appoint  Caut.  Jooris  Hanssen,  Jacob  Hans- 
sen  and  Cornelis  Van  Duyn,  to  bee  trustees  of  our 
Common  and  undivided  lands,  and  to  deffend  and 
maintaine  the  rights  and  privileges  off  our  General 
pattent,  as  well  within  as  without." 

H  Towne  meeting  held  this  2d  day  off  February, 
1701-2,  by  order  off  Justice  Cornelis  Sebringh. 

(12)  The  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  by  this  regulation,  I  under- 
stand  to  be,  that  the  Justices  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn  shall  have  cog- 
nizance of  the  offence,  as  much  as  if  the  offenders  resided  within  the 
town. 


44 


Purposed  iff  the  order  off  Bedford,  made  the  12th 
day  off  April,  1697,  shall  bee  confirmed  concern- 
ing the  lying  out  of  the  common  or  undivided  lands 
or  that  the  said  land  shall  bee  lyed  out  according  to 
the  last  tax,  concerning  the  deffending  off  our 
limitts. 

Resolved  by  the  ffreeholders  aforesaid,  that  the 
chosen  townsmen  shall  ley  out  the  commens  ac- 
cording as  by  the  said  order  off  Bedford  was  con- 
cluded, with  the  ffirst  opportunitie,  and  that  all  the 
lotts  joyning  to  the  common  woods  shall  be  survey- 
ed according  to  their  grants." 

The  following  Resolution  was  passed  for  defend- 
ing those  inhabitants  to  whom  portions  of  the  Com- 
mon lands  were  allotted,  in  their  enjoyment  of  the 
same.  "  Att  a  Towne  meeting  held  att  Brookland3 
in  Kings  County,  this  14th  day  of  March,  1^01-2. 
Present,  IVlachiel  Hanssen,  Cornelis  Sebringh,  and 
Hendrick  Vechten,  Esquires,  Justices. — Resolved, 
by  the  major  part  of  the  freeholders  of  the  said 
towne  of  Brookland,  that  every  man  that  has  now 
a  right,  lott,  or  lotts  laid  out  in  the  quondam  Com- 
mon and  undivided  lands  of  Brookland  aforesaid, 
shall  forever  free  liberty  have  for  egress  and  regress 
to  his  said  lotts  for  fetching  off  wood  or  otherwise, 
over  all  or  any  of  the  said  lott  or  lotts  of  the  said 
freeholders  in  the  lands  aforesaid.  And  further, 
that  if  any  of  the  said  freeholders  shall  at  any  time 
or  times  hereafter,  come  by  any  loss  or  trouble, 
cost  or  charges  by  lawe  or  otherwise,  of,  for  or  con- 
cerning the  tUle  of  any  of  their  said  lott  or  lotts,  by 
any  person  or  persons,  either  within  the  township 
of  Brookland  afforesaid,  or  without,  that  it  shall 
be  defended  and  made  goode,  (if  lost)  att  all  the 
proper  costs  and  charges  of  all  the  freeholders  of 
said  towne  equally." 


45 


It  appears  that  all  the  Common  lands  of  this 
town  had  been  divided  among  the  freeholders,  and 
a  portion  annexed  to  each  house  in  the  town. — A 
deed  dated  the  17th  of  April,  1705,  after  conveying 
a  house  and  lot  of  land  in  this  town,  conveys  "  al- 
soe  all  the  rights  and  priviledges  in  the  common 
woodlands  of  the  towne  ofBroockland  aforesaid, 
to  said  house,  belonging  as  per  record  of  said  towne 
may  appear.(J  3) 

These  lands,  in  *he  month  of  February,  1701-2, 
were  surveyed  by  Pieter  Corteljeu  and  S.  Clowes, 
two  surveyors,  and  divided  by  them  into  three  divi- 
sions. The  first  or  west  division  consisted  of  62 
lots,  containing  about  5  acres  each,  about  310 
acres.  The  second  or  middle  division  of  62  lots, 
containing  about  10  acres  each,  about  620  acres ; 
and  the  third  or  east  division  also  of  62  lots,  con- 
caining  about  10  acres  each,  about  620  acres, — 
Total  number  if  acres  about  1550. 

DIFFERENCES   AS  TO  BOUNDS. 

The  difference  between  this  town  and  the  city  of 
New-York,  having  been  treated  of  under  the  head 
of  Town  Rights  and  Ferries,  the  compiler  will  con- 
fine himself  to  the  disputes  which  formerly  existed 
between  this  town,  and  the  towns  of  Bushwick, 
Flatbush  and  New-Utrecht,  respecting  their  bounds. 

The  following  proceeding  relates  generally  to  the 
defence  and  settling  of  the  limits  of  this  town. 

"  Towne  meeting  held  this  7th  day  of  February, 
1701-2,  by  order  of  Hendrick  Vechten,  Justice. — 
The  Justice  Hendrick  Vechten,  brings  in  that  the 
towns  men  were  nott  well  authorised  concerninge 
the  lying  out  and  deffending  of  our  bounds  by  rea- 
son that  they  have  no  power  to  compounde  or 

(13^  The  records  referred  to,  together  with  all  our  other  town  re- 
cords were  destroyed  during  the  Revolution. 


46 


agree  with  any  of  the  neighbouring  townes,  fee.-— 
These  are  therefibre,  that  the  freeholders  and  in- 
habitants doe  give  full  power  to  the  said  Intrusties, 
for  to  agree  and  compounde  with  any  of  the  neigh- 
bour townes  concerning  our  bounds,  and  all  what 
our  said  Intrusties  shall  doe  and  agree  with  them, 
we  shall  stand  to  itt."  This  proceeding  was  re- 
corded by  order  of  the  Court  of  Sessions,  on  the 
13th  of  May,  1702. 

DIFFERENCE   WITH  BUSHWICK. 

The  difference  as  to  the  bounds  of  these  two  towns 
seems  generally  to  have  been  contested  between  in- 
dividual. The  following  is  the  only  general  order 
on  record  respecting  the  same  : 

At  a  Court  of  Sessions,  held  at  Flatb»;sh  for 
Kings  County,  May  10,  1699.  "  Uppon  the  de- 
sire of  the  inhabitants  of  Breucklyn,  that  according 
to  use  and  order  every  three  yeare  the  lim mitts  be- 
tweene  towne  and  towne  must  be  runn,  that  a  war- 
rant or  order  may  be  given,  that  upon  the  17th  day 
off  May,  the  line  and  bounds  betwixt  said  townes 
of  Breucklyn  and  Boswyck,  shall  be  runn  accord- 
ing to  their  pattents  or  agrements."  Ordered, 
"  That  an  order  should  be  past  according  to  theire 
request." 

DIFFERENCE  WITH  FLATBUSH. 

The  dispute  between  this  town  and  Flatbush,  res- 
pecting their  bounds,  appears  to  have  been  of  more 
importance  than  that  with  any  other  place,  except- 
ing New-York. 

At  a  Court  of  Sessions,  held  for  the  West  Riding 
of  Yorkshire,  upon  Long-Island,  the  18th  of  De- 
cember, 1678,  the  following  order  was  made: 

"There  being  some  difference  between  the  townes 
of  Flat  Bush  and   Breucklyn  concerning  their 


47 


bounds,  the  which  they  are  both  willing  to  refer  to 
Captain  Jaques  Corteleou  and  Captain  Richard 
Stillwell  to  decide.  The  Court  doth  approve  there- 
of, and  order  their  Report  to  be  determinative." 

Messrs.  Cortelyou  and  Stillwell  complied  with 
the  requisition  of  the  above  order  as  will  appear  by 
the  following  report:  but  subsequent  disputes  shew 
that  the  same  was  not  "  determinative." 

"  To  the  worshipfull  Court  of  Sessions,  now  sit- 
ting at  Gravesend,  June  21,  1683.  These  may 
certiffie  that  in  obedience  to  an  order  from  said 
Court,  and  by  consent  of  both  towns  of  Breucklyn 
and  Flattbush,  to  runn  the  line  betwixt  the  said 
townes  which  are  we  underwritten  have  done  and 
marked  the  trees  betwixt  towne  and  towne,  as  witt- 
nesse  our  hands  the  daye  and  yeare  above  written. 

JACQUES  CO  TELYOU, 
RICHARD  STILLWELL." 

It  appears  by  the  following  Certificate,  that  a 
subsequent  survey  was  made  in  1684,  of  the  divi- 
sion line  between  this  town  and  Flatbush. 

"  To  satisffie  whom  itt  may  concerne,  that  I  be- 
ing with  Mr.  Jacobus  Cortland,  about  the  twenty- 
eth  day  off  November,  1684,  imployed  by  Breuck- 
land  and  Fflackbush,  to  vew  and  run  out  the  line 
betweene  the  two  towns  to  the  south  of  the  hills 
found  that  the  line  run  fiorm^rly  by  Capts.  Jaques, 
Cortelyou  and  Mr.  Stillwell,  is  right  andjust,  which 
wee  both  being  agreed,  gave  in  our  approbation  of 
the  same. 

PHILIP  WELLS,  Surveyor." 

Staaten-I&land,  in  the  County  of  Rich-  *) 
mond,  this  4th  day  of  Aprill,  1687."  ) 

The  above  Certificate  was  recorded  by  order  of 
several  of  the  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn. 


48 


At  a  Court  of  Sessions  for  Kings  County,  held 
the  4th  clay  of  October,  1687,  the  following  pro- 
ceeding was  had  : 

"  Complaint  off  Jan  Oake,  ?nd  Cornells  Barduff, 
authorised  by  the  inhabitants  of  Fflackbush  being 
read  against  Pieter  Cronwer,  concerning  the  build- 
ing uppon  the  land  in  question,  betwixt  Breucklyn 
and  Fflackbush,  Itt  is  ordered,  that  none  off  the 
partys  shall  meddle  themselves  with  the  said  land 
before  the  question  off  the  said  land  shall  be 
finished." 

December  4,  1689.  Jooris  Bergen,  Jan  Dorlant 
and  H.  Claes  Vechte,  Commissioners  of  this  town, 
together  with  Jurrian  Bries,  Constable,  granted  to 
Jeronimius  Remsen,  a  piece  of  land  lying  at  Bed- 
ford, in  lieu  of  a  piece  of  land  which  they  had  for- 
merly sold  him,  lying  at  the  Port  or  entrance,  and 
which  was  claimed  by  the  town  of  Flatbush 

At  a  town  meeting,  held  in  this  town  the  1 1th 
day  of  April,  1702,  by  order  of  Justices  Machiel 
Hanssen,  and  Cornelis  Seberingh  ;  it  was 

"  Purposed  to  choise  townsmen,  in  place  off 
George  Hanssen,  Jacob  Hanssen,  and  Cornelis 
Van  Duyn,  by  cause  theire  times  being  past  the 
^9th  off  this  instant.  Resolved  to  prolong  the  old 
townsmen's  time  to  the  twenty-fifth  off  May  next, 
by  reason  they  are  in  action  off  lawe  with  them  off 
Fflackbush,  to  be  tryed  this  May  court." 

The  differences  between  these  two  towns  have 
been  amicably  settled,  and  proper  monuments 
placed  on  the  boundary  lines,  to  prevent,  if  possi- 
bly all  future  disputes. 

DIFFERENCE  WITH  NEW-UTRECHT. 

February  14,  1702.  George  Hansen,  Jacob  Han- 
sen and  Cornelius  Van  Duyn,  Trustees  on  the  part 
of  the  town  of  Brooklyn,  and  Cornelius  Van  Brunt, 


49 


Peter  Corlel you,  and  Aert  Van  Pelt,Trusiees  on  the 
part  of  the  town  of  New-Utrecht,  entered  into  an 
agreement,  which,  after  setting  forth  the  said  Trus- 
tee's powers  to  enter  into  the  same,  proceeds  to  say, 
"  that  the  courses  and  lines  hereafter  specified  shall 
be  the  exact  bounds  between  the  said  two  towns  of 
Brookland  and  New  Utrecht  and  soeto  continue  to 
perpetuity  without  any  alteration  ;  viz.  The  bounds 
to  begin  in  the  sloott  or  pond  lying  and  being  by 
and  between  the  house  of  Agyes  Vandyke,  of  the 
said  towne  of  Brookland  and  the  house  of  Thomas 
Sharax,  of  the  said  towne  of  New-Utrecht,  where 
the  water  runns  into  the  salt  water  River,  by  a  cer- 
taine  fence  from  thence  stretching  away  south-east 
one  degree  southerly,  two  hundred  eighty  and 
eight  English  rod,  to  a  winter  white  oake  tree  markt 
on  the  south  and  north-west  side;  and  from  thence 
running  east  eight  and  twenty  degrees  northerly  to 
a  white  oake  tree,  being  on  the  east  side  of  the  path 
leading  to  New-Utrecht  aforesaid,  to  the  Gowanos 
soe  called  in  the  towneship  of  Brookland  abovesaid, 
said  tree  being  markt  on  two  sides,  and  being 
formerly  the  old  markt  tree  betweene  the  said 
townes,  &x." 

At  the  time  of  the  execution  of  the  above-men- 
tioned agreement,  the  Trustees  of  the  town  ofBrook- 
lyn,  gave  a  bond  to  the  Trustees  of  the  town  of 
New-Utrecht,  in  the  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds 
"  currant  money  of  New-Yorke." — The  condition 
of  which  Bond  or  obligation  was,  11  That  if  the 
above  bounden  George  Hansen,  Jacob  Hansen  and 
Cornelius  Van  Duyne,  severally  and  their  severall 
heires  and  assigns,  doe  and  shall  from  time  to  time 
and  at  all  times  hereafter,  well  and  truly  observe, 
performe  and  keepe,  all  and  every  the  covenants, 
articles  of  agreements,  which  on  their  and  every  of 
their  parts,  are  or  ought  to  be  observed,  performed 

5 


50 


and  kept,  contained  and  specified  in  and  by  certain 
articles  of  agreements  of  the  date  hereof  and  made 
betweene  the  above  bounden  George  Hansen,  Jacob 
Hansen  and  Cornelius  Van  Duyn  of  the  one  part, 
and  the  above-named  Cornelius  Van  Brunt,  Peter 
Cortilleou  and  Aert  Van  Pelt  of  the  other  part,  of, 
in  and  concerning  the  limmitts  and  bounds  of  their 
tovvnes  pattents,  and  that  in  and  by  all  things  ac- 
cording to  the  true  meaning  of  the  said  articles  of 
agreement  in  such  wise  that  no  breache  be  made  of 
the  premises  in  said  articles  of  agreement  by  the 
towne  of  Brookland  aforesaid,  at  any  time  or  times 
hereafter,  then  this  obligation  to  be  void  and  of 
none  effect,  otherwise  to  stand  and  remain  in  full 
force,  virtue  and  power  in  law." 

In  the  year  1797,  a  survey  was  made  of  all  the 
bounds  of  this  town,  and  a  map  thereof  transmitted 
to  the  Surveyor  General  of  this  state. 

REVOLUTIONARY  INCIDENTS, 

This  town  had  a  full  share  of  the  military  opera- 
tions during  the  Revolutionary  war  ;  and  was  for 
a  long  time  in  the  possession  of  the  British  army. 
Tt  is  covered  with  the  remains  of  fortifications  which 
were  thrown  up  by  the  Americans^  4)  and  English 
for  their  defence  against  each  other.  In  this  town 
was  fought  the  most  sanguinary  part  of  the  battle 
of  Long-Island,  August  27,  1776;  which  took  place 
on  the  retreat  of  the  American  army  within  their 
lines,  and  the  attempt  of  a  portion  of  them  to  ford 
ihv  mill  poiids  at  Gawanos  ;  in  which  attempt  near- 
ly the  whole  of  a  Regiment  of  young  men  from 
Maryland  were  cut  off. 

Many  of  the  minor  events  connected  with  this 
battle,  and  the  Revolutionary  contest,  are  fast  sink- 

(14)  The  fortifications  at  Red  Hook  were  erected  by  a  Regiment  of 
Continental  troops,  the  night  of  April  3,  1776 


51 


ing  into  the  shades  of  oblivion:  the  compiler  has 
therefore  thought  proper  to  give  place  to  the  fol- 
lowing piece  of  history,  not  with  an  idea,  that  he 
can  immortalize  any  event  which  he  relates;  but 
with  a  hope,  that  his  efforts  will  call  forth  some 
nobler  pen  to  do  justice  to  the  memories  of  many  of 
the  almost  forgotten  heroes  of  those  hard  fought 
battles,  and  arduous  contests.  In  the  battle  above- 
mentioned,  part  of  the  British  army  marched  down 
a  lane  or  road  leading  from  the  Brush  tavern  to 
Gowanos,  pursuing  the  Americans.  Several  of  the 
American  riflemen,  in  order  to  be  more  secure,  and 
at  the  same  time,  more  effectually  to  succeed  in 
their  designs,  had  posted  themselves  in  the  high 
trees  near  the  road.  CLie  of  them,  whose  name  is 
now  partially  forgotten,  shot  the  English  Major 
Grant;  in  this  he  passed  unobserved.  Again  he 
loaded  his  deadly  rifle,  and  tired — another  English 
officer  fell.  He  was  then  marked,  and  a  platoon 
ordered  to  advance,  and  fire  into  the  tree  ;  which 
order  was  immeaiately  carried  into  execution,  and 
the  rifleman  fell  to  the  ground,  dead.  After  the 
battle  was  over,  the  two  British  officers  were  buried 
in  a  field,  near  where  they  fell,  and  their  graves 
fenced  in  with  some  posts  and  rails,  where  their  re- 
mains still  rest.  But  for  "an  example  to  the  rebels," 
they  refused  to  the  American  rifleman  the  rites  of 
sepulture  ;  and  his  remains  were  exposed  on  the 
ground,  till  the  flesh  was  rotted,  and  torn  off  his 
bones  by  the  fowls  of  the  air.  After  a  considerable 
length  of  time,  in  a  heavy  gale  of  wind,  a  large 
tree  was  uprooted ;  in  the  cavity  formed  by  which, 
>ome  friends  to  the  Americans,  notwithstanding  the 
prohibition  of  the  English,  placed  the  brave  sol- 
dier's bones  to  mingle  in  peace  with  their  kindred 
earth. 


52 


August  28,  1776.  Before  day  break,  in  a  very 
thick  fog,  General  Washington  retreated  with  his 
army  from  near  the  old  ferry,  Brooklyn,  to  Ngw- 
York.  As  the  last  boat  of  the  Americans  left  the 
shore,  the  fog  dissipated,  and  the  British  made 
their  appearance  on  the  hills  above  the  place  of  em- 
barkation, when  a  shot  or  two  from  an  American 
Battery  on  the  hill  near  the  house  of  Col.  Henry 
Rutgers,  in  New- York,  compelled  the  British  to  de- 
sist in  their  march  to  the  ferry. 

A  short  time  after  the  retreat  of  the  Americans. 
Captain  Hale,  of  the  American  army,  was  dispatch- 
ed by  General  Washington,  to  see  if  the  English 
had  taken  possession  of  his  camp  at  Brooklyn,  and 
what  their  situation  was.  This  unfortunate  young 
officer  was  taken  by  the  English  and  hung  as  a 
spy,  without  even  a  form  of  trial ;  and  not  :  llowed 
a  clergyman  at  his  execution.  It  is  believed  he  was 
executed  somewhere  along  the  Brooklyn  shore,  to 
the  south-west  of  the  old  ferry.  In  our  pity  for 
Major  Andre,  we  have  almost  entirely  lost  sight  of 
this  meritorious  officer,  whose  claims  on  our  grati- 
tude ought  ever  to  be  remembered,  in  proportion 
a*  his  sufferings  were  greater  than  those  of  the  for- 
mer. 

During  the  stay  of  the  American  army  on  Long- 
Island,  the  head  quarters  of  General  Washington 
were  at  the  house  on  Brooklyn  heights,  now  owned 
and  occupied  by  Henry  Waring,  Esq.  The  house 
now  owned  and  occupied  by  Teunis  Joralemon, 
Esq  was  used  by  the  English  as  a  Hospital  during 
the  Revolution,  and  in  its  vicinity,  hundreds  of 
British  soldiers  and  sailors  are  buried. 

Most  of  the  records  of  this  town  were  destroyed 
by  the  English  when  they  came  in  possession  of  it 
after  the  battle  of  Long-Island. 


53 


In  the. month  of  November,  1776,  one  of  the 
British  prison  ships,  called  the  Whitby,  was  moored 
in  the  Wallaboght,  near  Remsen's  mills.  On  board 
this  vessel  great  mortality  prevailed  among  the 
prisoners,  and  many  of  them  died.  Those  of  the 
prisoners  who  died  from  this  ship,  and  from  the 
others,  which  were  afterwards  brought  to  this  place, 
were  interred  in  the  hill  at  the  present  Navy-Yard; 
where  their  remains  were  found,  and  in  the  year 
1808,  deposited  in  a  vault  erected  for  that  purpose. 
March  1777,  two  other  prison  ships  anchored  in  the 
Wallaboght,  one  of  which  bore  the  name  of  Good 
Hope:  which  vessel  in  the  month  of  October,  in  the 
same  year,  took  fire  and  was  burnt.  The  prisoners 
were  saved  and  transferred  to  the  other  vessels. — 
The  hull  of  this  ship  lies  under  a  dock  at  the  Navy 
lard,  in  this  town.  In  the  month  of  February, 
1778,  on  a  Sunday  afternoon,  another  British  pris- 
on ship  was  burnt  in  the  Wallaboght.  The  hull  of 
this  vessel  lies  ir  the  mud  in  that  Bay.  1778,  the 
Jersey  ship  of  the  line,  having  arrived  at  New-York, 
was  condemned  as  unfit  for  the  service,  and  con- 
verted into  a  prison  ship.  As  such  she  anchored  in 
the  Wallaboght  during  the  month  of  April,  in  the 
same  year,  together  with  the  Falmouth  and  Hope, 
for  Hospital  ships ;  where  they  remained  till  the 
close  of  the  Revolutionary  war. 

October  22,  1779,  An  act  of  attainder  was  passed 
by  the  Legislature  of  this  State,  against  John  Rap- 
alje,  Esq.  of  this  town,  by  which  his  property  was 
confiscated  to  the  use  of  the  State.  That  part  of 
his  property  lying  within  the  bounds  of  the  present 
village  of  Brooklyn,  was  on  the  13th  of  July,  1784, 
sold  by  the  Commissioners  of  Forfeitures,  to  Com- 
fort, and  Joshua  Sands,  Esqrs.  for  £12,430. 

In  the  year  1780,  the  British  being  apprehensive 
of  an  attack  from  the  Americau  army  under  Gen- 


54 


era]  Washington,  commenced  fortifying  the  high 
grounds  about  Brooklyn  ;  which  works  they  con- 
tinued until  the  peace  in  1783.  In  this  town  the 
British  had  their  army  yard,  where  their  forage  de- 
partment, and  blacksmith's  shops,  &lc.  were  kept. 
The  entrance  to  this  yard  was  near  the  junction  of 
Main-street  with  Fulton-street,  in  the  present  village 
of  Brooklyn. 

During  the  Revolution,  this  place  was  much  re- 
sorted to  by  the  officers  of  the  English  army,  and 
the  fashionables  of  the  day,  as  a  scene  of  amuse- 
ment. In  the  Royal  Gazette  of  August  8th,  1781, 
published  at  New-York,  Charles  Loosley  advertises 
a  Lottery  of  $12,500,  to  be  drawn  at  "  Brooklyn 
Hall."  The  same  paper  contains  the  following 
advertisement :  "  Pro  bono  publico.  Gentlemen 
that  are  fond  of  fox  hunting,  are  requested  to  meet 
at  Loosley's  Tavern,  on  Ascot  Heath,  on  Friday 
morning  next,  between  the  hours  of  five  and  six,  as 
a  pack  of  hounds  will  be  there  purposely  for  a  trial 
of  their  abilities  :  Breakfasting  and  Relishes  until 
the  Races  commence. — At  eleven  o'clock  will  be 
run  for,  an  elegant  saddle,  &c.  value  at  least  twen- 
ty pounds,  for  which  upwards  of  twelve  gentlemen 
will  ride  their  own  horses. — At  twelve,  a  match 
will  be  rode  by  two  gentlemen,  Horse  for  Horse. 
— At  one,  a  match  for  thirty  guineas,  by  two  gen- 
tlemen, who  will  also  ride  their  own  horses. — Din- 
ner will  be  ready  at  two  o'clock,  after  which,  and 
suitable  regalements,  racing  and  other  diversions, 
will  be  calculated  to  conclude  the  day  with  pleasure 
and  harmony.  Brooklyn  Hall,  6th  August,  1781." 

Lieutenant  Anberry,  in  a  letter  from  New-York, 
to  a  friend  in  England,  dated  October  30th,  1781, 
says,  "  on  crossing  the  East  River  from  New-York, 
you  land  at  Brooklyn,  which  is  a  scattered  village, 
consisting  of  a  few  houses.    At  this  place  is  an  ex- 


55 


cellent  Tavern,  where  parties  are  made  to  go  and 
eat  fish  ;  the  landlord  of  which  has  saved  an  im- 
mense fortune  this  war."  The  public  house  refer- 
red to  in  the  above  advertisements,  and  letter,  was 
the  same  house,  which  after  the  Revolution,  and  in 
the  Compiler's  recollection,  was  called  the  "  Cor- 
poration House."  It  was  a  large,  gloomy,  old 
fashioned,  stone  edifice  ;  and  was  destroyed  by  fire, 
September  23d,  1812. 

This  town  was  left  by  the  British  troops,  the 
same  day  that  they  evacuated  New-York. 

ANCIENT  GOVERNMENT. 

The  first  public  officer  appointed  by  the  Dutch 
Government  for  this  twn  after  its  settlement  in 
1625,  was  a  "  Superintendant,"  whose  duties  were 
to  preserve  the  peace,  and  regulate  the  police  of  the 
town.  A  few  years  after  the  office  of  Superintend- 
ant was  abolished,  and  the  offices  of  Schout,  Secre- 
tary, and  Assessor,  created ;  these  officers  were  also 
appointed  by  th^  Governor.  In  1646,  the  town 
having  considerably  increased,  the  inhabitants  were 
permitted  to  elect  two  magistrates ;  subject,  how- 
ever, to  the  approval  o:  rejection  of  the  Governor. 
These  magistrates  had  increased  powers:  they  were 
authorised  to  give  judgment  in  all  cases  as  they 
might  think  proper  ;  provided  that  the  judgment 
so  given  be  not  contrary  to  the  charter  of  New- 
Netherland.  Subsequently  this  Town  Court  was 
new  modelled  by  the  Dutch  Government,  and  its 
power  and  authority  more  clearly  defined. 

The  inhabitants  suffering  very  much  under  the 
arbitrary  exercise  of  power  on  the  part  of  the  go- 
vernment, frequently  remonstrated  against  the  same. 
Finally  a  convention  of  delegates  from  this,  and  the 
other  towns  under  the  Dutch  government  assembled 
at  New  Amsterdam,  November  26th,  1653,  on  an 


56 


invitation  from  the  Governor.  Where  they,  on  the 
11th  of  December,  following,  entered  into  a  re- 
monstrance against  the  exclusion  of  the  people  from 
their  share  in  legislation,  and  generally  against 
their  mode  of  government.  The  Governor  and  his 
Council  sent  them  no  answer,  but  entered  one  on 
the  minutes  ;  in  which  they  denied  the  right  of  this 
town,  Flatbush,  and  Flatlands,  to  send  deputies, 
and  protested  against  the  meeting,  notwithstanding 
the  same  was  held  at  the  Governor's  request.  Eai- 
tertaining  a  just  sense  of  the  responsibility  attached 
to  them,  the  deputies  made  another,  but  ineffectual 
attempt,  to  obtain  a  recognition  of  their  rights,  and 
on  the  13th  of  the  last  mentioned  month,  presented 
another  remonstrance,  in  which  they  declared,  that 
if  they  could  not  obtain  them  from  the  Governor 
and  Council,  they  would  be  under  the  necessity  of 
appealing  to  their  superiors,  the  States  General. — 
The  Governor  in  a  fit  of  anger  dissolved  their 
meeting,  and  sent  them  home. 

In  1654.  it  appears  that  the  country  was  very 
much  infested  with  robbers ;  to  disperse  whom, 
April  7,  1654,  the  magistrates  of  this  town,  together 
'vith  those  of  Midwout  and  Amersfort,  united  in 
forming  a  company  of  soldiers  to  act  against  "  rob- 
bers and  pirates,"  and  determined  that  there  should 
be  a  military  officer  in  each  town,  called  a  Ser- 
geant. 

In  order  to  prevent  the  depredations  of  the  In- 
dians, the  Governor  in  1660,  ordered  the  inhabit- 
ar  :s  of  Brooklyn  to  put  the  town  in  a  state  of  de- 
fence ;  and  commanded  the  farmers  to  remove  with- 
in the  fortifications,  on  the  pain  of  forfeiting  their 
estates^1 5) 

(15)  In  1655,  a  large  body  of  Northern  Indians  made  a  descent  on  Sta- 
ten  Island,  and  massacred  67  persons ;  after  which  they  crossed  to  Long- 
Islund,  and  invested  Gravesend ;  which  place  was  relieved  by  a  party  of 
soldiers  from  JVew- Amsterdam.    It  appears  from  the  records  that  these 


57 


For  the  first  two  or  three  years  under  the  En- 
glish govenment,  the  magistrates  of  this  town  were 
but  temporary  officers.  Nearly  all  that  we  know 
about  the  government  previous  to  1669,  is,  that 
Town  Courts  were  established  in  this  Colony. — 
The  inference  would  be,  that  as  this  town  was 
granted  61  all  the  rights  and  privileges  belonging  to 
a  town  within  this  government,"  a  town  Court  was 
also  organized  here. 

The  Town  Clerk  of  this  town  w  as  appointed  by 
the  Governor,  and  confirmed  by  the  Court  of  Ses- 
sions, as  will  appear  by  the  following  record  :  At  a 
Court  of  Sessions  held  at  Gravesend  for  the  West 
Riding  of  Yorkshire  upon  Long-Island,  December 
15,  1669.  "  Whereas  Derick  Storm  presented  an 
order  from  his  Hon.  the  Governor,  for  the  appro- 
bation of  the  Court  of  Sessions,  to  allow  him  to  be 
towne  clerk  of  Breucklen,  taking  his  oath,  the 
Court  having  allowed  thereof,  and  doe  hereby  con- 
firme  him  of  Clerke  of  the  said  towne." 

In  the  year  16^9,  the  first  mention  is  made  in  the 
records  of  the  "  Constable  of  Breucklen;"  which 
office  at  that  period  was  held  by  Michael  Lenell. 
The  duties  of  constable  as  laid  down  in  the  Duke's 
laws  were,  holding  town  courts  with  the  overseers, 
and  with  them  making  assessments,  &c.  whipping, 
or  punishing  offenders,  raising  the  hue  and  cry  af- 
ter murderers,  manslayers,  thieves,  robbers,  burg- 
larers;  and  also  to  apprehend  without  warrant  such 
as  were  overtaken  with  drink,  swearing,  Sabbath 

Indians  were  on  their  way  to  commence  a  war  against  the  Indians  on  the 
east  end  of  Long-Isand. 

The  inhabitants  of  Flatbush  were  ordered  by  Governor  Stuyvesant, 
in  1656;  to  enclose  their  village  with  palisadoes  to  protect  them 
from  the  Indians.  These  fortifications  were  required  to  be  kept  under 
the  English  government,  as  will  appear  by  the  following  record  of  the 
Court  of  Sessions  for  the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire  upon  Long-Island, 
December  1Mb,  1675.  "  The  towne  of  Fflatbush  having  neglected  the 
making  of  ffortiiications,  the  Court  take  notis  of  it,  and  reffer  the  cen- 
sure to  ye  Governor." 


58 


breaking,  vagrant  persons,  or  night  walkers  ;  "  pro- 
vided they  bee  taken  in  the  manner,  either  by  the 
sighte  of  the  constable,  or  by  present  informacon 
from  others ;  as  alsoe  to  make  searche  for  all  such 
persons  either  on  ye  Sabbath  daye,  or  other,  when 
there  shall  bee  occation  in  all  houses  licensed  to 
sell  beere  or  wine,  or  any  other  suspected  or  disor- 
dered places,  and  those  to  apprehend  and  keepe  in 
safe  custody  till  opportunity  serves  to  bring  them 
before  the  next  Justice  of  ye  Peace  for  further  ex- 
aminacon."  The  Constable  was  chosen  out  of  the 
number  of  Overseers,  whose  term  of  service  had 
expired. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Constables  of 
Brooklyn,  from  1669  to  1690: 
J  669.    Michael  Lenell. 
1671.    Lambert  Johnson. 

1675.  Andries  Juriaensen. 

1676.  Cornelius  Corsen. 

1678.  Thomas  Lambertse. 

1679.  John  Aeresen. 

1680.  Andries  Juriaensen1 
1682.    Martin  Ryersen. 

Brooklyn  and  Newtown  were  ordered  to  make  a 
new  choice  according  to  law. 

16S3.  Jan  Cornelis  Dam 

1684.  Thomas  Ffardon. 

1687.  John  Aertsen. 

1688.  Volkert  Andriese. 

1689.  Jacobus  Beavois. 

1689.  Jurian  Bries. 

1690.  Jurian  Hendrickse. 

Shortly  after  the  conquest  of  this  Colony  by  the 
English  from  the  Dutch,  the  towns  of  Brooklyn, 
Bushwyck,  Midwout,  or  Flatbush,  Amersfort,  or 
Flatlandsj  and  New-Utrecht,  were  formed  into  a 


o9 


separate  district  tor  certain  purposes,  by  the  name 
of  the  "  Five  Dutch  towns."  A  Secretary  was  spe- 
cially appointed  for  these  five  towns,  whose  duties 
appear  to  have  been  confined  to  the  taking  acknow- 
ledgment of  transports,  and  marriage  settlements, 
and  proof  of  wills,  he.  This  office  in  1674,  was 
held  by  "  Nicasius  De  Sille,  in  the  absence  of  Sr 
Ffrancis  De  Brugh."  This  same  Mr.  De  Sille, 
was  in  authority  under  the  Dutch  government,  in 
the  year  1658,  as  Schout  of  the  city  of  New-Am- 
sterdam. He  was  styled,  "  Heer  Nicasius  De  Sille." 
There  was  no  uniformity  in  the  title  of  those  ac- 
knowledging officers  of  the  Five  Dutch  towns.  In 
1675,  IVIachiel  Hainelle  exercised  that  office,  and 
styled  himself  1  Clerk."  Tn  the  same  year  the 
Court  of  Sessions  for  this  Riding,  after  setting  forth 
the  appointment  of  Hainell,  and  calling  him 
t;  Secretary,"  said,  "  It  is  the  opinion  of  the  Court 
that  for  what  ptiblique  or  private  business  he  shall 
doe  he  ought  to  have  reasonable  satisfacon^1 6) 

There  were  aUo  in  this  town,  officers,  who  we^e 
called  "  Overseers."  The  Duke's  Laws  provide  for 
their  appointment  in  the  following  manner.  "  Over- 
seers shall  be  eight  in  number,  men  of  good  fame, 
and  life,  chosen  by  the  plurality  of  voyces  of  the 
freeholders  in  each  towne,  whereof  foure  shall  re- 
maine  in  their  office  two  yeares  successively,  and 
foure  shall  be  changed  for  new  ones  every  yeare  ; 
which  election  shall  preceed  the  elections  of  Con- 
stables, in  point  cf  time,  in  regard  the  Constable 
for  the  yeare  ensuing,  is  to  bee  chosen  out  of  that 
number  which  are  dismist  from  their  office  of  Over- 
seers." 

(16)  There  were  also  a  u  Clerk"  in  most  if  not  in  all  of  tke3e  towns, 
who  seems  to  have  been  authorised  to  take  proof  of  the  execution  of 
wills ;  whether  he  was  the  Town  Clerk  does  not  appear.  This  officer 
was  differently  appointed  in  the  different  towns.  In  Bushwick  he  was 
appointed  by  the  Commissioners  of  t;ie  town,  and  in  New-Utrecht  he 
was  elected  by  the  people,  and  aporoved  of  by  the  Governor. 


60 


The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  oath  which  was 
administered  to  the  overseers  elect. 

"  Whereas  you  are  chosen  and  appointed  an 
Overseer  for  the  Towne  of  Breucklen  you  doe 
sweare  by  the  Ever-living  God,  that  you  will  faith- 
fully and  diligently  discharge  the  trust  reposed  in 
you,  in  relation  to  the  publique  and  towne  affaires, 
according  to  the  present  lawes  established,  without 
favour,  affection  or  partiality  to  any  person  or  cause 
which  shall  fall  under  your  cognizance  ;  and  at 
time  when  you  shall  bee  required  by  your  superi- 
ors to  attend  the  private  differences  of  neighbours, 
you  will  endeavour  to  reconcile  them  :  and  in  all 
causes  conscientiously  and  according  to  the  best  of 
your  judgment  deliver  your  voyce  in  the  towne 
meetings  of  Constable  and  Overseers.  So  helpe 
you  God."  These  officers  were  commonly  sworn 
by  the  Court  of  Sessions ;  but  in  the  year  1671, 
the  Constable  of  Newtown  objected  to  the  Court's 
swearing  the  overseers  of  that  town,  M  alledginge 
that  accordinge  to  the  amendments  of  the  law  iff 
special  occation  required,  itt  is  in  the  power  of  the 
Constable  to  sweare  them,  otherwise  not,  which  is 
left  to  his  Honor  the  Governor  to  decide.55  The 
inhabitants  of  the  town  for  which  the  overseers  were 
elected  were  authorised  to  determine  by  a  major 
vote  whether  the  said  overseers  should,  on  admis- 
sion to  office,  take  the  oath  prescribed  as  above; 
and  in  case  the  said  overseers  were  not  sworn,  it  was 
a  legal  objection  against  their  proceedings  on  the 
pari  of  any  person  prosecuted  in  their  court,  unless 
the  overseers  immediately  on  objection  being  made, 
took  the  oath,  which  the  Constable  was  permitted 
to  administer. 

It  was  the  duty  of  the  overseers,  together  with  the 
Constable,  to  hold  Town  Courts,  for  the  trial  of 
causes  under  £o.    Their  other  duties  are  contained 


61 


in  the  following  summary.  On  the  death  of  any 
person,  they  were  to  repair  with  the  Constable,  to 
the  house  of  the  deceased,  and  inquire  after  the 
manner  of  his  death,  and  of  his  will  and  testament  ; 
and  if  no  will  was  found,  the  Constable  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Overseers  was,  within  48  hours,  to 
search  after  the  estate  of  the  deceased,  and  to  de- 
liver an  account  of  the  same  in  writing,  under  oath, 
to  the  next  Justice  of  the  Peace.  They,  together 
with  the  Constable  made  all  assessments.  If  any 
Overseer  died  during  his  term,  the  rest  of  the  Over- 
seers by  a  major  vote,  made  choice  of  another  in  his 
place  ;  and  if  the  person  so  chosen  refused  to  serve, 
he  forfeited  the  sum  of  £10,  towards  defraying  the 
town  charges.  They  were  to  settle  the  bounds  of 
the  town,  within  twelve  months  after  the  bounds 
were  granted.  They  had  the  power  of  regulating 
fences.  They  were  authorised  together  with  the 
Constable  to  make  choice  of  two  out  of  the  eight 
overseers  of  Church  affairs. 

They  and  the  Constable,  were  frequently  to  ad- 
monish the  inhabitants  "  to  instruct  their  children 
and  servants  in  matters  of  religion,  and  the  lawes 
of  the  country."  They,  with  the  Constable,  ap- 
pointed an  officer  "  to  record  every  man's  particu- 
lar marke,  and  see  each  man's  horse  and  colt  brand- 
ed." The  Constable  and  two  of  the  Overseers  were 
to  pay  the  value  of  an  Indian  coat  for  each  wolf 
killed  ;  and  they  were  to  cause  the  wolf's  head  to 
be  "  nayled  over  the  door  of  the  Constable,  their 
to  remaine,  as  also  to  cut  of  both  the  eares  in  token 
that  the  head  is  bought  and  paid  for." 

The  following  is  the  only  list  that  the  Compiler 
could  obtain  of  the  Overseers  of  this  town. 

1671.  Frederick  Lubertse  and  Peter  Pernied- 
eare. 

6 


&2 

1675.  John  Peterson  Mackhike,  and  Jerome 
De  Rapostelley. 

1676.  Tunis  Guis  Bergen,  and  Thomas  Lam- 
bertson. 

1679  John  Harrill,  and  Martyn  Reyandsen. 
1680.  Svmon  Aeresen,  and  Michael  Harsen. 
16S3.    John  Aeresen,  and  Daniel  Rapellie. 

In  the  year  1683,  the  "  Overseers"  were  changed 
to  "  (  ommissioners."  The  "  act  for  defraying  the 
publique  and  necessary  charge  of  each  respec- 
tive citty,  towne,  and  county  throughout  this  pro- 
vince ;  and  for  maintaining  the  poore  and  prevent- 
ing vagabonds."  Passed  by  the  General  Assembly 
of  this  colony,  November  1st,  1683,  provides — 
"  That  annually  and  once  in  every  yeare  there  shall 
be  elected  a  certaine  number  out  of  each  respective 
citty,  towne,  and  county  throughout  this  province  ; 
to  be  elected  and  chosen  by  the  major  part  of  all 
the  ffreeholders  and  ffreemen  ;  which  certaine  num- 
ber so  duely  elected  shall  have  full  power  and  au- 
thority to  make  an  assessment  or  certaine  rate  with- 
in their  respective  cittys,  townes  and  countys  annu- 
ally, and  once  in  every  yeare,  which  assessment 
and  certain  rate  so  established  as  aforesaid,  shall 
oee  paid  into  a  certaine  Treasurer,  who  shall  be 
chosen  by  a  major  part  of  all  the  ffreemen  of  each 
respective  citty,  towne,  and  county;  which  Trea- 
surer soe  duly  chosen,  shall  make  such  payment  for 
the  defraying  of  all  the  publique  and  necessary 
charges  of  each  respective  place  above-menconed, 
as  shall  bee  appointed  by  the  commissioners,  or  their 
President,  thbt  shall  be  appointed  in  each  respective 
citty,  towne,  and  county  within  this  province,  for 
be  supervising  the  publique  affaires  and  charge  of 
each  respective  citty,  towne  and  county  aforesaid." 
And  the  said  act  proceeds  further  to  say,  44  And 
whereas  it  is  the  custome  and  practice  of  his  Ma- 


63 


jesties  realme  of  England,  and  all  the  adjacent  co- 
lonyes  in  America,  that  every  respective  county, 
citty,  towne,  parrish,  and  precinct,  doth  take  care 
and  provide  for  the  poore  who  doe  inhabit  in  their 
respective  precincts  aforesaid  ;  Therefore  it  is  enact- 
ed, Sic.  That  for  the  time  to  come  the  respective  com- 
missioners of  every  county,  citty,  towne,  parish,  pre- 
cinct aforesaid, shall  makeprovision  for  the  maintain- 
ance  and  support  of  their  poore  respectively. "( 1 7) 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Commissioners  of 
this  town  from  1684,  to  1690,  inclusive. 

1684.  Thomas  Lambertsen,  Randolph  Emans, 
and  John  Aeresen. 

1685.  Tunis  Guis  Bergen,  and  Daniel  Rapalie. 

1686.  Michael  Hansen,  and  Jeromus  De  Rap- 
alie. 

The  town  made  choice  of  Hansen  and  De  Rap- 
alie;  and  were  ordered  by  the  Court  of  Sessions  to 
make  a  new  selection  by  the  12th  of  April,  1686, 
and  return  the  same  to  one  of  the  Justices  of  the 
Peace  for  Kings  County. 

1687.  Adriaen  Bennet,  Thomas  Lambertsen, 
and  Tunis  Guysbert. 

The  Court  of  Sessions  ordered  the  town  to  make 
choice  of  a  new  Commissioner  in  the  place  of  Tunis 
Guysbert ;  which  they  according  did,  and  elected 
Jan  Gerritsen  Dorland. 

1688.  Simon  Aertsen,  Micheal  Hansen,  and 
Claes  Barense. 

The  Court  of  Sessions  refused  to  swear  Michael 
Hansen. 

(17)  This  law  provides,  that  any  person  not  having  a  visible  estate, 
or  a  manual  craft  or  occupation,  coming  into  any  place  within  this  pro 
vince,  should  give  security,  not  to  become  chargeable  within  two  years : 
and  the  captaius  of  vessels  bringing  passengers  into  this  province,  were 
required  to  report  them  to  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  place,  within  24 
hours  after  their  arrival.  Under  the  Dutch  government  the  poor  were 
supported  out  of  the  fines  imposed  for  offences  ct.nmitted,  and  by  con 
tributions  taken  up  in  the  Churches. 


64 


1690.  Joris  Hansen,  Hendrick  Claasen,  and 
Jan  Gerbritse. 

The  office  of  "  Commissioner"  continued  until 
J  703,  when  a  "  Supervisor"  was  elected.  The  Su- 
pervisors of  Kings  County  had  their  first  meeting 
on  the  first  Tuesday  of  October,  1703;  at  which 
meeting  Captain  Joras  Hansen  was  the  Supervisor 
from  Brooklyn.  The  duty  of  the  Supervisors  was, 
u  to  compute,  ascertaine,  examine,  oversee  and  al- 
low the  contingent,  publick,  and  necessary  charge 
of  each  county."  Two  assessors  were  also  elected 
lor  this  town,  whose  names  were,  Peter  Garra- 
brantse,  and  John  E.  Bennet;  and  one  Collector. 
This  is  not  the  first  mention  of  the  assessors  and 
collectors  of  this  town  in  our  County  Records.  In 
1688,  Michael  Hansen,  and  Daniel  Rapalie  were 
chosen  assessors,  for  the  purpose  of  assessing  this 
town's  proportion  of  a  tax  of  £308  8s  Od,  which 
was  imposed  on  Kings  County.  It  is  the  opinion 
of  the  Compiler,  that  these  were  distinct  officers 
from  the  Commissioners,  whose  duty  it  was  to  as- 
sess the  ordinary  rates;  and  that  these  assessors  were 
but  temporary  officers,  appointed  to  assess  this  par- 
ticular tax.  In  1699,  Jan  Garretse  Dorlant  is  men- 
tioned as  Collector  of  Brooklyn;  and  in  1701, 
John  Bybout  held  the  same  office. 

In  1691,  a  majority  of  the  freeholders  of  the 
town  were  empowered  to  make  orders  for  the  im- 
provement of  their  public  lands ;  and  annually  to 
elect  three  surveyors  of  highways.  The  duties  of 
these  svrveycrs  were  to  amend  and  lay  out  high- 
ways and  fences.  The  town  meeting  at  which 
these  orders  were  made,  and  officers  elected,  were 
held  by  the  direction,  and  under  the  superintend- 
ance  of  one  or  more  justices  of  the  peace. 

November  8,  1692.  The  court  of  sessions  for 
Kings  county,  ordered  that  each  town  within  the 
county,  should  erect  "  a  good  pair  of  stocks,  and 


65 


a  good  pound and  that  the  clerk  of  the  court 
should  issue  a  warrant  to  the  constable  of  every 
town,  requiring  them  to  see  this  order  complied 
with  "  at  their  peril."  The  following  is  a  list  of 
the  constables  of  this  town,  from  the  new  organiza- 
tion of  the  colony  in  1691,  to  1711,  as  far  as  the 
compiler  has  been  able  to  ascertain  the  same  : 
1693.    Volkert  Brier. 

1697.  Volkert  Brier. 

1698.  Jacob  Hansen.  [This  man  was 
complained  of  by  the  last  constable  for  not  making 
his  appearance  at  court;  and  the  sheriff  was  or- 
dered to  summon  him  (o  appear  at  the  next  court.] 

1699.  Jacobus  Beauvois. 

1700.  Cornelius  Verhoeven. 

1701.  Jacob  Verdon. 

1702.  Thomas  Davies. 

1703.  Thomas  Davies. 

1704.  William  Brower. 

1705.  Jacob  Ffardon.  [This  constable 
refused  to  call  a  town  meeting  in  1706,  in  compli- 
ance with  the  requisitions  of  a  warrant  he  had  re- 
ceived from  Justice  Ffilkin,  for  the  election  of 
town  officers ;  and  the  inhabitants  complained  of 
him  to  the  court  of  sessions,  who  ordered  that  a 
town  meeting  should  be  held  for  the  election  of 
town  officers,  and  that  Ffardon  should  hold  over 
until  a  new  constable  was  elected  and  sworn  in  his 
stead. 

170^.    Abram  Sleghter. 

1708.  Cornelius  Collier. 

1709.  William  Brower. 
1711.    Thomas  Davies. 

For  some  time  previous  and  subsequent  to  the 
year  1693,  the  colony  was  in  a  very  disordered 
state,  arising  probably  from  its  new  organization 
after  the  revolution  in  Great  Britain. 

6  * 


06 


At  the  same  period,  both  the  civil  and  military 
governments  in  this  town  and  also  in  the  county, 
were  very  unpopular.  In  order  to  support  their 
authority,  the  justices  of  the  peace  resorted  to  the 
exercise  of  very  arbitrary  measures  :  arresting  and 
confining  many  persons  under  the  pretence  of  their 
having  uttered  scandalous  words  against  them,  and 
(he  government ;  by  which  proceedings  they  com- 
pletely alienated  the  people's  affections,  and  exas- 
perated them  to  such  a  degree  that  they  committed 
many  excesses :  all  which  will  appear  by  the  fol- 
lowing extracts  from  the  records : 

"  October  11,  1693,  at  a  meeting  of  the  justices 
of  Kings  county,  at  the  county  hall.  Present, 
Roeleff Martinse,  Nicholas  Stillwell,  Joseph  Hege- 
man,  and  Henry  Ffilkin,  esqrs.  justices.  Jvjhn  Bi- 
hout,  of  Broockland,  in  the  county  aforesaid,  we 
aver  being  committed  by  the  said  justices  to  the 
common  jail  of  Kings  county,  for  divers  scanda- 
lous and  abusive  words  spoken  by  the  said  John 
agamst  their  majesties  justices  of  the  peace  for  the 
county  aforesaid,  to  the  contempt  of  their  majesties 
authority  and  breach  of  the  peace ;  the  said  John 
having  now  humbly  submitted  himself,  and  craves 
pardon  and  mercy  of  the  said  justices  for  his  mis- 
demeanour, is  discharged,  paying  the  officer's  fees, 
and  being  on  his  good  behaviour  till  next  court  of 
sessions,  in  November  next  ensurng  the  date  here- 
of." 

Li  another  instance,  during  the  same  year,  in  the 
month  of  October,  in  the  town  of  Bushwyck,  a 
man  named  Urian  Hagell,  was  imprisoned  for  hav- 
ing said,  on  a  training  day,  speaking  jestingly  of 
the  soldiers,  "  Let  us  knock  them  down,  we  are 
three  to  their  one."  The  justices  called  these 
"  mutinous,  factious,  and  seditious  words;"  which, 


67 


with  the  like,  appear  to  have  been  favourite  terms 
with  them.  Again,  in  the  same  month  and  year, 
Hendrick  Claes  Vechte,  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn, 
was  imprisoned  by  the  justices,  on  a  charge  of 
"  raising  of  dissension,  strife,  and  mutiny,  among 
their  majesties  subjects."  And  May  8,  1694,  two 
women  of  Bushwick  were  indicted  at  the  sessions, 
for  having  beat  and  pulled  the  hair  of  •  aptain 
Peter  Praa,  whilst  at  the  head  of  his  company  of 
soldiers  on  parade.  One  of  them  was  fined  £3, 
and  the  cost,  £1  195.  9d. ;  and  the  other  40s.  and 
the  cost,  £1  195.  9d.  In  the  last  mentioned  year, 
(1694)  Volkert  Brier,  constable  of  Brooklyn,  was 
fined  £5,  and  the  costs  of  court  amounting  to  £1, 
by  the  sessions,  "  for  tearing  and  burning  an  exe- 
cution directed  to  him  as  constable.'^1 8)  Brier  af- 
terwards petitioned  the  governor  to  have  the  fine 
remitted  ;  a  copy  of  which  petition  is  in  the  appen- 
dix, marked  C. 

This  town  with  respect  to  legal  matters  was  un- 
der the  jurisdiction  of  the  court  of  sessions  held  at 
Gravesend,  for  the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire,  upon 
Long-Island^1 9)  until  the  year  1683;  when  an  act 
was  passed  by  the  first  legislative  assembly  of  this 
colony,  dividing  the  province  into  counties,  by 
which  the  ridings  were  abolished.  The  court 
however  continued  to  be  held  at  Gravesend  until 
1686,  when  it  was  removed  to  Flatbush,  in  con- 
formity to  an  act  of  the  colonial  assembly,  passed 
in  the  year  1685.    This  town  continued  under  the 

(18)  Sept.  1-1,  1606,  about  8  o'clock  in  the  evening,  John  Rapale, 
Isaac  Remsen,  Joras  Yannester,  Joras  Danielse  Rapale,  Jacob  Reyer- 
sen,  Aert  Aersen,  Tunis  Buys,  Garret  Cowenhoven,  Gabriel  Sprong, 
Urian  Andriese,  John  William^e  Bennet,  Jacob  Bennet,  and  John 
Meserole,  jr.  met  armed  at  the  court-house  of  Kings,  where  they  des- 
troyed and  defaced  the  king's  arms  which  were  hanging  up  there. 

[19)  The  West  Riding  was  composed  of  the  towns  of  Brooklyn, 
Bushwick,  Flatbush,  Flatlands,  JVew-L'trecht,  and  Gravesend,  toge- 
ther with  Staten-Island  and  .Newtown, 


08 


jurisdiction  of  that  court,  and  the  court  of  common 
pleas,  which  was  afterwards  established,  until  the 
close  of  the  revolutionary  war.  At  the  close  of  the 
war  the  courts  were  re  organized,  and  this  town 
still  continues  under  their  jurisdiction. 

PRESENT  GOVERNMENT. 

In  1816  the  village  of  Brooklyn  was  erected  out 
of  the  town,  and  constituted  a  distinct  government ; 
thereby  forming  an  imperium  in  imperio. 

The  present  government  both  of  the  town  and 
village,  approach  as  near  a  pure  democracy  as  that 
of  any  other  place  in  this  state.  No  business  of 
importance  is  undertaken  without  first  having  the 
sanction  of  a  public  meeting.  Here  these  sterling 
principles,  that  all  power  emanates  from  the  peo- 
ple, and  that  public  officers  are  but  public  ser- 
vants, are  fully  rocognized,  and  acted  upon. 

This  head  the  compiler  will  divide  into  two  divi- 
sions, in  order  to  avoid  confusion  :  First,  the  Town 
Government,  and  second,  the  Village  Government. 

First — the  Town  Government. 
The  government  of  the  town  is  administered  by 
A  Supervisor,  elected  by  the  people,  at  the  an- 
nual town-meeting,  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  April. 
The  duties  of  this  officer  are  principally  confined 
to  the  apportionment  of  taxes,  presiding  at  elec- 
tions, &c.  He  is  also  ex  officio  a  commissioner  of 
excise  for  granting  tavern  licenses  in  the  town,  and 
the  general  guardian  of  the  town  rights.  There  is 
no  salary  attached  to  this  office :  the  supervisor 
receives  a  compensation  of  two  dollars  per  day, 
for  attending  the  general  meeting  of  the  supervi- 
sors of  the  different  towns  in  the  county,  and  a 
trifling  amount  for  granting  licenses.  The  pre- 
sent supervisor  is  William  Furman,  esq. 


69 


A  Town  Cleric,  also  elected  by  the  people.  The 
duties  of  this  officer  are  to  call  special  town  meet- 
ings on  the  request  of  twelve  freeholders,  record 
the  proceedings  of  town  meetings,  and  preserve 
the  records  of  the  town.  In  1698,  Jacob  Vande- 
water,  town  clerk  of  this  town,  received  the  sum  of 
£6  5s.  fur  two  years  and  six  months  salary. (20) 
In  1822,  in  order  to  make  the  town  clerk's  salary 
in  some  degree  proportionate  to  the  increase  of 
business,  the  town  voted  him  a  salary  of  $50.  In 
1824,  the  town  clerk's  salary  was  increased  to  $75. 
The  office  is  at  present  held  by  John  Doughty,  esq. 
who  has  been  successively  elected  since  the  year 
1796. 

Five  Assessors,  also  elected  by  the  people — whose 
duties  are  to  assess  all  real  and  personal  estate  lia- 
ble to  taxation  within  the  town,  and  to  forward 
such  assessment  to  the  supervisors,  that  they  may 
apportion  the  anount  of  tax  on  the  same.  The 
present  assessors  are  Messrs.  John  S.  Bergen, 
Richard  Stanton,  John  Spader,  Joseph  Moser,  and 
Andrew  Demarest.  Their  compensation  is  one 
dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  per  day  during  the 
time  they  are  employed  in  making  and  completing 
the  assessment. 

There  are  also  elected  two  overseers  of  the  poor, 
Messrs.  William  Cornwell,  and  Isaac  Moser  ;  one 
constable  and  collector,  Mr.  John  M'Kenney  ;  two 
constables,  Messrs.  John  Lawrence,  and  Samuel 
Doxsey;  and  several  other  officers,  whose  names 
and  duties  will  be  set  forth  in  the  subsequent  parts 
of  this  work. 

The  judicial  business  of  this  town  is  at  present 
transacted  by  three  justices  of  the  peace,  viz.  John 
Garrison,  John  G.  Murphy,  and  Samuel  Smith, 

(20)  At  the  same  period,  the  salary  of  the  clerk  of  the  county  was 
Lid.  per  annum. 


70 


csqrs.  These  magistrates  are  appointed  by  the 
judges  of  the  common  pleas,  and  the  supervisors  Ot 
the  county. 

Second — the  Village  Government. 

April  12,  1816,  the  village  of  Brooklyn  was  in- 
corporated by  an  act  of  the  legislature  of  this  state. 
By  this  act-?  g  freeholders  and  inhabitants  are  au- 
thorized annually  to  elect,  on  the  first  Monday  of 
May,  "  Five  discreet  freeholders,  resident  within 
the  said  village,  Trustees  thereof;"  and  these  trus- 
tees are  authorized  to  appoint  a  president  and 
clerk.    The  first  trustees,  Messrs.  Andrew  Mer- 
cein,  John  Garrison,  John  Doughty,  John  Seaman, 
and  John  Dean,  were  appointed  by  the  legislature, 
and  continued  in  office  until  the  first  Monday  of 
May,  1817  ;   when  the  first  election  was  made  by 
the  people,  and  they  made  choice  of  Messrs.  Wil- 
liam Furman,  Henry  Stanton,   William  Henry, 
Tunis  Joralemon,  and  Noah  Waterbury.  The 
present  trustees  are  Messrs.  Joshua  Sands,  John 
Doughty,  Joseph  Moser,  John  Moon,  and  Samuel 
Tames.    Joshua  Sands,  esq.  president,  and  John 
Dikeman,  esq.  clerk  of  the  board.    The  president 
previous  to  1824  received  no  salary  ;  at  present 
his  salary  is  $300.    The  clerk  formerly  received  a 
salary  of  $100,  which  in  consequence  of  the  great 
increase  of  business  is  now  raised  to  $200.  The 
powers  of  the  trustees  are  principally  "  to  make, 
oruain,  constitute,  and  publish,  such  prudential  by- 
laws, rules  and  regulations,  as  they  from  time  to 
time  shall  deem  meet  and  proper ;  and  such  in 
particular  as  relate  to  the  public  markets,  streets, 
alleys,  and  highways   of  the  said   village ;  to 
draining,  filling  up,  levelling,  paving,  improving, 
and  keeping  in  order  the  same  ;  relative  to  slaugh- 
ter-houses, houses  of  ill  fame,  and  nuisances  gene- 


71 


rally  ;  relative  to  a  village  watch,  and  lighting  the 
streets  of  said  village  ;  relative  to  restraining  geese, 
swine,  or  cattle  of  any  kind ;  relative  to  the  better  im- 
provement of  their  common  lands;  relative  to  the 
inspection  of  weights  and  measures,  and  the  assize  of 
bread;  relative  to  erecting  and  regulating  hay- 
scales;  relative  to  the  licensing  of  public  porters, 
cartmen,  hackney  coachmen,  gangers,  weigh-mas- 
ters  measurers,  inspectors  of  beef  and  pork,  of  wood, 
of  staves  and  heading,  and  of  lumber;  relative  to 
public  wells,  punps,  and  reservoirs  or  cisterns  of 
water  to  be  kept  filled  for  the  extinguishment  of 
fires;  relative  to  the  number  of  taverns  or  inns  to 
licensed  in  said  village;  and  relative  to  any  thing 
whatsoever  that  may  concern  the  public  and  good 
government  of  the  said  village ;  but  no  such  by- 
laws shall  extend  to  the  regulating  or  fixing  the 
prices  of  any  commodities  or  articles  of  provision, 
except  the  article  of  bread,  that  may  be  offered  for 
sale."  The  powers  of  the  trustees,  in  opening, 
regulating,  and  videning  streets,  are  enlarged  and 
defined  by  an  act  passed  by  the  legislature  of  this 
state,  April  9,  1824. 

The  board  of  trustees  have  the  appointment  of 
several  officers.     The  fo  lowing  is  a  list  of  the 
names  of  the  officers  at  present  holding  under  them, 
John  Lawrence,  Collector. 
Samuel  Watts, 
John  Titus, 
Andrew  Tombs, 
Robert  W.  Doughty, 
Burdet  Striker,  Measurer. 
William  A.  Sale,  Measurer  of  Lime. 
Three  village  Assessors  are  also  elected  by  the 
people,  for  the  purpose  of  making  an  assessment  on 
which  to  apportion  the  village  tax.    The  present 
assessors  are  Losee  Van  Nostrand,  Gamaliel  King, 
and  John  D.  Conklin. 


WTeighers. 


72 


The  Trustees,  by  an  act  passed  April  9tb,  1824, 
are  constituted  a  Board  of  Health.  The  President 
and  Clerk  of  the  Trustees  are  ex-officio  President 
and  Clerk  of  the  Board  of  Health  The  salary  of 
the  President  of  this  Board  is  $150. 

A  Health  Physician  is  appointed  by  the  Board 
of  Health  ;  which  office  is  at  present  held  by  Dr, 
J.  G.  T.  Hunt,  with  a  salary  of  $200. 

The  duties  of  the  Board  relate  to  the  general  con- 
servation of  the  Health  of  the  village. 

As  early  as  1809,  during  the  prevalence  of  the 
yellow  fever  in  this  town,  the  inhabitants  met  toge- 
ther in  consequence  of  repeated  solicitations  from 
the  Common  Council  of  New-York,  and  after  stat- 
ing in  their  proceedings,  that  "  reports  prevailed, 
that  disease  exists  to  an  alarming  extent  in  the 
town  of  Brooklyn,"  they  appointed  the  following 
gentlemen  a  committee  "  for  the  purpose  of  inquir- 
ing into  the  state  of  the  health  of  the  inhabitants  of 
said  town,  and  to  act  as  the  case  in  their  opinion 
may  require,"  viz.  William  Furman,  John  Garrison, 
Burdet  Stryker,  Henry  Stanton,  and  Andrew  JVler- 
cein.  A  sum  of  money  was  raised  by  subscription 
to  meet  the  expenses  of  this  Committee. 

In  the  year  1819,  the  Trustees,  although  not 
strictly  invested  with  power,  yet  feeling  the  neces- 
sity of  acting  with  some  degree  of  energy,  in  order 
to  quiet  the  fears  of  the  inhabitants,  arising  from 
reports  of  the  existence  of  a  pestilential  disease  in 
New-York,  published  an  address  ;  in  which  they 
state,  "  that  during  this  season  of  alarm,  they  have 
not  been  unmindful  of  that  part  of  their  duty  incum- 
bent on  them  as  a  Board  of  Health  for  the  village," 
and  that  "  measures  have  been  taken  to  obtain  from 
time  to  time,  a  report  of  the  state  of  health  through- 
out the  village,  that  the  inhabitants  may  be  early 
apprised  of  any  change  affecting  their  welfare." 


73 


PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  AND  INSTITUTIONS. 

This  head  will  be  divided  into  three  divisions — 
first,  Churches  ;  second,  Markets;  and  third  Pub- 
lic Institutions. 

First,  Churches. 

The  first  Church  established  in  Kings  County 
was,  October  13,  1654,  when  the  Rev.  Joannes 
Theodorus  Polhemus.  a  minister  of  the  Dutch  Re- 
formed Church,  was  permitted  by  Governor  Stuy- 
vesant,  to  preach  at  Midwout,  (Flatbush)  and  Am- 
ersfort,  (Flatlands).(2 1 )  The  congregation  was 
gathered  at  this  time;  but  the  order  of  Governor 
Stu  vvesant  for  building  the  Church  is  dated  Decem- 
ber 15,  1654.  February  9,  1655,  the  Governor 
ordered  the  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn  and  Amersfort, 
which  at  that  period,  together  with  Gravesend, 
w7ere  one  congregation,  to  cut  timber  for  the  erec- 
tion of  the  Chu  -ch  at  Midwout;  which  building 
was  to  be  60  feet  in  length,  28  feet  in  breadth,  and 
14  feet  in  height  below  the  beams. 

In  order  to  accommodate  the  four  towns  of 
Gravesend,  Amersfort,  Midwout,  and  Brooklyn, 
the  Governor  ordered  that  Mr.  Polhemus  should 
preach  every  Sunday  morning  at  Midwout,  and 
Sunday  afternoons  alternately  at  Amersfort  and 
Brooklyn/ 

In  thje  year  1659,  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  ap- 
plied to  Governor  Stuyvesant  for  permission  to  call 
a  minister  for  their  congregation,  assigning  as  a 
reason  for  their  application,  the  badness  of  the  road 
to  Flatbush,  the  difficulty  of  attending  divine  ser- 
vice at  iNew-York,  and  the  extreme  old  age  and  in- 
ability of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Polhemus  to  perform  his 
services  at  Brooklyn. 

(21)    This  minister  died  in  the  month  of  June,  1676, 
7 


74 


The  Governor  deemed  the  request  reasonable, 
and  sent  Nicasius  de  Sille,  Fiscal  of  New-Nether- 
land,  and  Martin  Kregier,  Burgomaster,  of  New- 
Amsterdam,  to  this  town,  as  a  committee  of  inqui- 
ry, who  reported  in  favour  of  the  application ; 
whereupon  the  request  of  the  inhabitants  was  grant- 
ed. The  inhabitants  prepared  a  call  for  the  Rev. 
Henry  Solinus,  alias  Henricus  Selwyn,  from  Hol- 
land, who  was  approved  of  by  the  classis  of  Am- 
sterdam, on  the  16th  of  February,  1660,  when  the 
classis  also  gave  the  Rev.  Mr.  Solinus  a  dismission, 
wishing  him  a  safe  and  prosperous  journey  by  land 
and  by  water  to  his  congregation  in  the  New-Ne- 
therland.  The  time  of  the  arrival  of  this  minister 
is  not  known.  He  was  installed  in  his  church  on 
the  3d  of  September,  1660,  in  the  presence  of  the 
Fiscal,  and  Burgomaster  Kregier,  by  the  order  of 
Governor  Stuyvesant,  who  appears  to  have  been  at 
the  head  of  the  ecclesiastical,  as  well  as  the  civil 
and  military  government  of  the  colony. 

On  the  7th  of  September,  1660,  a  letter  was  writ- 
ten to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Polhemus,  informing  him  of 
the  installation  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Solinus  in  the 
Church  of  Brooklyn,  and  thanking  him  for  his  la- 
bours and  attention  to  the  Congregation.  The  let- 
ter was  sent  by  a  respectable  person,  to  whom  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Polhemus  returned  his  thanks  jbr  the  at- 
tention which  the  Church  at  Brooklyn  had  paid 
him,  and  furnished  the  messenger  with  a  list  of  the 
nai.ies  of  the  Church  members,  twenty-five  in  num- 
ber. 

Mr.  Solinus'  salary  was  600  guilders  per  annum, 
equal  to  $200.  Three  hundred  guilders  of  which 
was  to  be  paid  by  Brooklyn,  and  three  hundred  by 
Father  land,  (Holland).  Some  time  after,  the  in- 
habitants of  Brooklyn  objected  to  raising  their  pro- 
portion of  the  salary;  and  May  25,  1662,  petition- 


75 


ed  the  Governor,  that  Mr.  Solinus  should  reside 
among  them  ;  setting  forth  as  a  reason,  that  if  their 
minister  resided  with  them  more  people  would  go 
to  church,  and  they  would  be  better  able  to  raise 
the  salary.  Governor  Stuyvesant,  in  order  to  ac- 
commodate this  dispute,  proposed  to  pay  250  guil- 
ders towards  Mr.  Solinus'  salary,  on  condition  that 
he  would  preach  in  the  Bouwery  on  Sunday  after- 
noons.— This  arrangement  appears  to  have  been 
entered  into,  for  a  short  time  after  Mr.  Solinus 
preached  at  the  Bouwery  half  the  time. 

The  Indians  having  on  the  7th  of  June,  1663,  at- 
tacked the  town  of  Esopus,  burnt  the  same,  and 
destroyed  many  of  the  inhabitants,  and  took  many 
prisoners;  the  event  was  communicated  by  Gover- 
nor Stuyvesant  to  the  church  at  Brooklyn,  in  the 
following  manner. 

"  As  a  sorrowfull  accident  and  wilfull  masacre 
has  been  commuted  by  the  Esopus  Indians,  who 
have  with  deliberate  design  under  the  insidious  co- 
ver of  friendship,  determined  to  destroy  Esopus, 
which  they  effected  or  the  7th  instant,  killing  and 
wounding  a  number  of  the  inhabitants,  and  taking 
many  prisoners,  burning  the  new  town,  and  des- 
olating the  place.  Whereupon  the  congregation 
is  directed  and  desired  by  his  Excellency  the  Go- 
vernor General  to  observe  and  keep  the  ensuing 
Wednesday  as  a  day  of  fasting,  humiliation  and 
prayer  to  the  Almighty,  hoping  that  he  may  avert 
further  calamities  from  the  New-Netherlands,  and 
extend  his  latherly  protection  and  care  to  the  coun- 
try. And  it  is  further  ordered,  that  the  first  Wed- 
nesday in  every  month  be  observed  in  like  manner. 
By  order  of  the  Director  General,  and  Council,  &c. 
Dated  at  Fort  Orange,  June  26,  1663."  Wednes- 
day the  4th  of  July,  1663,  was  observed  as  a  day 
of  thanksgiving  on  account  of  a  treaty  of  peace 


76 


having  been  made  with  the  Esopus  Indians,  and 
the  release  of  the  inhabitants  who  had  been  taken 
prisoners  ;  and  also  for  the  success  obtained  over 
the  British,  who  attempted  with  flying  colours  to 
take  possession  of  all  Long-Island  for  the  King  of 
England,  which  was  prevented  by  the  timely  arri- 
val of  the  Dutch  fleet. 

On  the  23d  of  July,  1664,  the  Rev.  Henry  Soli- 
mis  took  leave  of  his  congregation  and  sailed  in  the 
ship  Beaver  for  Holland.  After  his  departure, 
Charles  Debevoise,  the  schoolmaster  of  the  town, 
and  sexton  of  the  church,  was  directed  to  read 
prayers,  and  i  sermon  from  an  approved  author, 
every  Sabbath  day  in  the  church,  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  congregation,  until  another  minister 
was  called. 

The  first  Dutch  church  in  Brooklyn  was  built 
in  the  year  1666,  although  a  minister  had  been  set- 
tled to  preach  here  for  some  years  previous. — 
A  second  church  was  erected  on  the  site  of  that 
built  in  1666;  which  second  church  continued 
standing  until  about  1810,  when  a  new  and  sub- 
stantial church  was  erected  on  Joralemon-street,  and 
the  old  one  taken  down.  This  old  church  was  a 
very'  gloomy  looking  building,  with  small  windows, 
and  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  highway,  about  a 
mile  from  Brooklyn  ferry.  In  removing  it  the 
workmen  discovered  the  remains  of  a  Hessian  offi- 
cer, who  had  been  buried  there  in  his  uniform,  dur- 
ing ihe  Revolutionary  war. 

The  Dutch  congregations  on  this  Island  formed 
but  one  church,  although  they  had  different  con- 
sistories. 

The  ministers  under  the  Dutch  government  were 
not  permitted  to  marry  any  persons  without  making 
the  marriage  proclamation  on  three  succeeding  Sab- 
baths in  their  churches.    The  same  practice  was 


77 


observed  after  the  Colony  came  under  the  British 
government.  The  last  mentioned  government  how- 
ever sold  marriage  licenses,  which  were  granted 
by  the  Governor's  Secretary  in  New-York,  for  the 
sum  of  eight  dollars  each.  The  inhabitants  gene- 
rally preferred  purchasing  a  marriage  license,  and 
thus  contributed  to  the  revenue  of  the  Governor 
and  Secretary. 

During  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Solinus,  the 
marriage  fees  were  not  the  perquisite  of  the  Minister, 
as  appears  by  his  account  rendered  by  him  to  the 
Consistory,  on  the  29th  of  October,  1662,  when  he 
paid  over  to  the  consistory  the  sum  of  78  guilders 
and  10  stivers5  for  fourteen  marriage  fees  received 
by  him. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  ministers  of  the  Dutch 
Reformed  Church,  who  officiated  in  the  church  on 
this  Island,  (with  the  exception  of  Polhemus,  and 
Solinus,)  taken  from  a  manuscript  of  the  Rev.  Pe- 
ter Lowe. 

Joannes  Magapolensis,  probably  died  1668. 

Casperus  Van  Zuren,       do  1677. 

Clark,  do  1695. 

William  Lupardus,  do  1709. 

Bernardus  Freeman, (22)  from  1702,  to  1741. 

Vincintius  Antonides,  from  1715,  to  1744. 

Joannes  Arondeus,  probably  died,  1742. 

Anthony  Curtenius,  from  1730,. to  1756. 

Ulpianus  Van  Sinderen,  from  1747,  to  1796. 

John  Casper  Rubel,  from  1760,  to  1797. 

Martinus  Schoonmaker,  from  1785,  to  1824. 

[This  venerable  pastor  was  88  years  of  age  at 
his  death  ;  and  a  short  time  previous,  officiated  in 
four  congregations.] 

Peter  Lowe,  from  1787,  to  1818. 

(22)  This  minister  was  naturalized  in  the  Court  of  ^o^ions  for  Kinge 
County,  »Vovember  8,  1715. 

7  * 


78 


In  the  month  of  April,  1708,  fifty-seven  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Brooklyn,  entered  into  an  agreement 
(which  is  written  in  Dutch)  to  call  a  minister  from 
Holland,  to  preach  in  the  church  of  this  town.  The 
elders  of  the  church  at  that  time  were,  Daniel  Rap- 
alie,  and  Jores  Hanse. 

The  salary  of  the  Clerk  of  the  Church  in  this 
town  was  formerly  raised  by  a  tax  on  the  whole 
town.  At  a  town  meeting,  held  February  1,  1568, 
It  was  resolved,  that  the  sum  of  £20  10s.  should  be 
raised,  and  paid  into  the  hands  of  the  "  church 
masters"  for  M  the  widow  of  Hendrick  Sleght,  ffor 
1  year  and  8  months  salary,  and  being  Clarke  off 
the  churche." 

The  following  singular  proceeding  may  be  amus- 
ing to  some  readers,  and  will  serve  to  shew  to  what 
extremes,  both  the  people  and  the  magistrate  car- 
ried themselves  in  former  times.  Hendrick  Vechte, 
Esq.  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  was  presented  at  the 
Kings  County  Sessions,  May  14,  1710,  for  coming 
into  the  Brooklyn  Church,  on  Sunday,  August  10, 
1709,  u  with  his  pen  and  ink  in  his  hand,  taking  of 
peoples  names,  and  taking  up  one  particular  mans 
hntt  up,  and  in  disturbance  of  the  minister  and  peo- 
ple in  the  service  of  God,  &c."  Vechte's  plea  was 
that  in  obedience  to  an  order  ot  the  Governor  he 
did  go  into  the  church  as  alledged,  "  to  take  notice 
of  the  persons  that  w  ere  guilty  of  the  forcible  entry 
made  into  the  Church,  that  by  Abram  Brower,  and 
others,  by  breaking  of  said  Church  doore  with  force 
and  arms,  foicibly  entering  into  said  Church,  not- 
withstanding the  forewarning  of  Mr.  Freeman  the 
minister,  and  his  people  to  the  contrary."  The 
Court  found  that  Justice  Vechte  was  not  guilty  of 
a  breach  of  the  peace,  and  discharged  him.  It  must 
be  remembered  that  Justice  Vechte  was  a  member 
of  the  Court.    There  wras  a  considerable  difference 


79 


of  opinion  and  many  disputes  among  the  inhabit- 
ants of  this  town,  and  of  the  County,  as  to  the  right 
of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Freeman  to  preach  ;  into  the  merits 
of  which  controversy,  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  the 
Compiler  can  enter  at  this  distant  day.  Excepting 
the  above  proceeding  of  the  Court,  the  only  docu- 
ment which  the  Compiler  has  been  able  to  obtain 
relative  to  this  controversy  is  a  letter  from  Henry 
Ffilkin,  Esq.  to  the  Secretary  at  New-York,  which 
will  be  found  in  the  Appendix  marked  with  the  let- 
ter D. 

December  18,  1814,  the  Trustees  of  the  Dutch 
Reformed  Church  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn  were 
incorporated.  At  which  time  the  following  gentle- 
men were  officers  of  the  Church. 

Martinas  Schoonmaker,  )  . 

t>  .    t  r  Ministers. 

Peter  Lowe,  ) 

Elders. 

Fernandus  Su^  dam,  Walter  Berry, 
Jeremiah  Johnson,         John  LefTerts. 

Deacons. 

Jeremiah  Brower,  Lambert  Schenck, 

Abraham  De  Bevoise,     Abraham  Remsen, 

The  present  officers  of  this  Church  are, 
Rev.  S.  S.  Woodhull,  D.  D.  Pastor. 

Elders. 

Leffert  Lefferts,  Tunis  Joralemon, 

David  Anderson,  Nehemiah  Denton. 

Beacons. 

Theodorus  Polhemus,      James  De  Bevoise, 
Adrian  Hegeman,  Adriance  Van  Brunt. 

September  18,  1785> an  "Independent  Meeting 


80 


House,"  was  incorporated  at  this  place.  The  offi- 
cers of  which  were : 

John  Matlock,  Pastor, 
George  Wall,  Assistant,1 
John  Carpenter,  Treasurer, 
George  Powers,  Secretary. 


Barnard  Cordman, 

Their  place  of  worship  was  a  frame  building  on 
what  is  now  the  Episcopalian  burying  ground  in 
Fulton-street.  This  congregation  continued  but  a 
short  time,  in  consequence  of  the  seceding  of  its 
members  to  the  Episcopalian  Church,  which  was 
soon  after  established  in  this  place. 

The  first  celebration  of  Divine  Service  after  the 
manner  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church,  in  this 
town,  subsequent  to  the  Revolution,  was  at  the  old 
brick  house  known  as  No.  40  Fulton-street,  and 
now  owned  by  Mr.  Abiel  Titus. 

About  the  year  1787,  the  Episcopal  Church  was 
established  in  Brooklyn,  under  the  pastoral  care  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Wright,  at  the  house  on  the  north-east 
corner  of  Fulton  and  Middagh-streets ;  which 
house  was  fitted  up  with  pews,  &c. 

April23,  1787.  "  The  Episcopal  Church  of 
Brooklyn"  was  incorporated.  The  following  are 
thi  names  of  the  first 


Trustees. 


William  Bunton, 
Robert  Steath, 


John  Emery, 
William  Hinson. 


Trustees. 


Whitehead  Cornell, 
Joseph  Sealy, 
Mathew  Gleaves, 
John  Van  Nostrand 


Joshua  Sands, 
Aquila  Giles, 
Henry  Stanton, 


81 


This  congregation  afterwards  came  into  posses- 
sion of  the  place  of  worship  before  used  by  the  In- 
dependent Congregation,  and  continued  to  worship 
in  that  edifice  until  they  erected  the  Stone  Church 
called  "  St.  Ann's  Church,"  on  Sands-street. 

June  22,  1795.  The  Episcopal  Church  in  this 
town  was  re-organized  and  incorporated  by  the 
name  of "  St.  Ann's  Church." 

Church  Wardens. 
John  Van  Nostrand,  and  George  Powers. 

Vestrymen. 
Joshua  Sands,  Aquila  Giles, 

Paul  Dure),  John  Cornel), 

Joseph  Fox,  Gilbert  Van  Mater, 

William  Carpenter,        Robert  Stoddard. 
The  congregation  at  the  same  time  resolved, 
that  Monday  in  Easter  week  should  be  the  time  of 
their  future  elections  for  Church  officers. 

The  stone  chuich  which  was  erected  on  Sands- 
street,  has  continued  to  the  present  time  :  but  is  now 
in  bad  repair,  in  consequence  of  the  w  alls  not  hav- 
ing been  properly  erected.  The  Vestry  passed  a 
vote  for  erecting  a  new  church  to  front  on  Wash- 
ington-street, the  corner  stone  of  w  hich  was  laid 
March  31,  1S24.  The  new  edifice  is  fast  progress- 
ing, and  promises  to  be  a  great  ornament  to  the 
place. 

The  present  officers  of  St.  Ann's  Church  are. 
Rev.  Henry  U.  Onderdonk,  Rector. 

Church  Wardens. 
William  Cornwell,  and  Joshua  Sands. 
Vestrymen. 
James  B.  Clarke,  John  H.  Moore, 

Robert  Bach,  Robert  Carter, 

Adam  Tredwell,  Losee  Van  Nostrand, 

Fanning  C.  Tucker,       A.  H.  Van  Bokkelen, 
William  Cornwell,  Treasurer, 


82 


May  19,  1794,  the  "First  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church"  in  this  town,  was  incorporated.  The 
Trustees  at  which  period  were, 

John  Garrison,  Stephen  Hendrickson, 

Thomas  Van  Pelt,  Richard  Everit, 

Burdet  Stryker,  Isaac  Moser. 

The  present  Meeting-house  of  this  denomination 
is  erected  on  the  site  of  their  first  place  of  worship, 
on  Sands-street ;  and  is  a  neat,  plain  edifice.  The 
present  officers  are, 

Rev.  William  Ross,  Pastor  in  charge. 
Trustees. 

John  Garrison,  George  Smith, 

Isaac  Moser,  Isaac  Nostrand, 

William  Foster,  John  G.  Murphy, 

Jacob  Brown,  R.  Van  Voris. 

Andrew  Mercein, 

Isaac  Moser,  Treasurer. 

January  12,  1818,  The  "  African  Wesleyan  Me- 
thodist Episcopal  Church  in  the  village  of  Brook- 
lyn," incorporated. 

First  Trustees. 

Peter  Croger,  Benjamin  Croger, 

Israel  Jemison,  John  E.  Jackson, 

Ceasar  Sprong. 

The  place  of  worship  of  this  congregation  is  a 
fi  ^me  meeting  house  situate  on  High-street. 

March  13,  1822.  The  "  Fir*t  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Brooklyn"  was  incorporated. 

First  Trustees. 
Jehiel  Jaggar,  Elkanah  Doolittle, 

Nathaniel  Howland,  Joseph  Sprague, 
Silas  Butler,  Alden  Spooner, 

John  B,  Graham,  George  Hall, 

Charles  H.  Richards. 


83 


The  corner  stone  of  this  church  was  laid,  April 
15,  1822.  The  Church  is  situate  on  Cranberry- 
street  ;  and  is  a  very  handsome  brick  building, 
something  in  the  Gothic  style.  The  present  officers 
are, 

Rev.  Joseph  Sanford,  Pastor. 

Elders. 

Zechariah  Smith,  Selden  Gates. 

Ezra  C.  Woodhull. 

Trustees. 

Alden  Spooner,  George  Hall, 

Edward  Coope,  Nathaniel  Howland, 

Henry  W.  Warner,         Benjamin  Meeker, 
Elkanah  Doolittle,         Joseph  Sprague, 
Silas  Butler. 

Elkanah  Doolittle,  President  of  the  Board, 
Silas  Butler.  Clerk  do 
Nathaniel  W.  Sanford,  Treasurer. 
November  20,  1822.    "  St.  James  Roman  Ca- 
tholic Church,"  incorporated. 

First  Trustees. 
George  S.  Wise,  Jun.      William  Puree!!, 
Peter  Turner,  James  Rose, 

Patrick  Scanlan,  Darby  Dawson, 

William  McLaughlin. 

The  corner  stone  of  this  Church  was  laid,  June 
25,  1822.  The  edifice  is  of  brick,  and  approaches 
nearer  to  the  Gothic  architecture  than  any  other 
building  in  this  town.  It  is  yet  unfinished.  This 
is  the  first  Roman  Catholic  Church  erected  on 
Long-Island.    The  present  Trustees  are, 

 ,  President.  (23) 

Peter  Turner,  Secretary, 


(23)  This  office  was  held  by  George  S,  Wise,  Jun,  Esq.  until  his 
death  in  November,  1824. 


84 


William  PurceH,  Treasurer; 
James  Rose, 
Darby  Dawson, 
William  McLaughlin, 
Patrick  Scanlan. 

October  15,  1823.  The  "  First  Baptist  Church 
in  Brooklyn"  incorporated. 

Trustees. 

Eliakim  Raymond,  Elijah  Lewis, 

John  Brown,  Richard  Poland, 

Charles  P.  Jacobs. 

March  24,  1824.  Rev.  William  C.  Hawley  was 
ordained  Pastor  of  this  Church.  This  congrega- 
tion have  as  yet,  erected  no  building  for  public  wor- 
ship ;  but  assemble  for  that  purpose  in  the  District 
School  room,  No.  1. 

There  are  also  in  this  town  some  of  the  denomi- 
nation of  Friends,  and  a  small  congregation  of 
Universalists  ;  neither  of  which  have  established 
places  of  public  worship.  The  Universalists  are 
under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  William  Mit- 
chill,  and  assemble  for  Divine  service  in  the  District 
School  room,  No.  1. 

In  the  present  year,  this  town  purchased  of  Lef- 
fert  Lefferts,  Esq.  a  small  farm  situate  at  the  Walla- 
boght ;  a  portion  of  which  was  set  off  for  a  bury- 
ing ground,  and  divided  into  convenient  parcels  ; 
which  were  allotted  in  the  following  manner  to  the 
diffiirent  congregations  worshipping  in  the  town, 
viz. 

No.  1.  Dutch  Reformed,  5.  Methodist  Episcopalian 

2.  Friends,  6.  Universalist, 

3.  Presbyterian,       7.  Episcopalian, 

4.  Roman  Catholic,  8.  Baptist, 

9.  Common. 


85 


Second,  Markets. 
A  market  was  established  in  this  town  as  early 
as  the  year  1676,  which  will  appear  from  the  fol- 
lowing order  of  the  General  Court  of  Assizes,  made 
in  the  month  of  October,  1675.  "  Upon  proposall 
of  having  a  fayre  and  Markett  in  or  neare  this  City. 
(New-York)  It  is  ordered,  That  after  this  season, 
there  shall  yearely  bee  kept  a  fayre  and  markett  at 
Breucklen  near  the  ferry,  for  all  grayne,  cattle,  or 
other  produce  of  the  countrey,  to  be  held  the  first 
Munday,  Tuesday,  and  Wednesday,  in  November; 
and  in  the  City  of  New- York,  the  Thursday,  Fri- 
day, and  Saturday  following." 

Previous  to  the  year  1814,  there  were  two  mar- 
kets in  this  place;  one  of  which  was  situate  at  the 
foot  of  the  old  ferry-street ;  and  the  other  at  the 
foot  of  Main-street.  Both  these  markets  were  taken 
down  in  1814. 

At  present  we  have  no  public  market ;  the  in- 
habitants are  supplied  from  several  butcher's  shops 
for  the  sale  of  meat,  and  stands  for  vegetables, 
scattered  about  in  different  parts  of  the  village. — 
The  people  have  been  for  some  time  past  endeav- 
ouring lo  obtain  a  public  market,  and  the  great 
difficulty  appears  to  be  the  location  of  a  proper 
site.  At  a  village  meeting,  held  June  26,  1824, 
the  sum  of  $10,000  was  voted  to  erect  a  brick  mar- 
ket house  and  Village  Hall,  with  other  offices.  This 
amount  it  was  resolved,  should  be  raised  by  a  loan 
for  not  less  than  ten  years,  at  six  per  cent;  and 
that  the  proceeds  of  the  market  arising  from  the 
letting  of  stalls,  Sic.  should  be  appropriated  to  pay- 
ing the  interest  of  said  loan  ;  and  that  if  in  process 
of  time  there  should  be  a  surplus,  after  paying  the 
interest,  the  same  should  be  converted  into  a  sink- 
ing fund  for  extinguishing  the  principal.  These  re- 
solutions have  not  as  yet  been  carried  into  effect, 

8 


86 


Third,  Public  Institutions. 

Of  public  institutions  we  have  not  many  to  boas* 
— they  may  be  strictly  confined  to  one  Bank,  a 
Fire  Insurance  Company,  and  an  Apprentices'  Li- 
brary. 

The  "  Long-Island  Bank"  was  incorporated, 
April  1st,  1824,  with  a  capital  of  $300,000,  divided 
into  six  thousand  shares  ot  $50  each.  The  present 
officers  are,  Leffert  Lefferts,  Esq.  President,  and 
D.  Embury,  Cashier. 

The  "  Brooklyn  Fire  Insurance  Company"  was 
incorporated,  April  3,  1824,  with  a  capital  of 
$150,000,  divided  into  six  thousand  shares  of  $25 
each.  The  present  officers  of  this  institution  are, 
William  Furman,  President,  and  Freeman  Hop- 
kins, Secretary. 

There  is  also  in  this  village  a  branch  of  the 
"Equitable  Fire  Insurance  Company";  of  which 
Abraham  Vanderveer,  Esq.  is  Agent. 

The  Apprentices'  Library  Association,  which 
has  been  formed  but  a  short  time,  promises  to  be  of 
great  benefit  to  the  apprentices  of  the  place,  by  in- 
troducing among  them,  habits  of  reading  and  re- 
flection, which,  if  properly  attended  to,  will  enable 
them  to  support  the  honourable  character  of  good 
citizens. 

The  Library  at  present  consists  of  about  twelve 
hundred  volumes,  which  have  been  presented  by 
different  individuals.  About  one  hundred  appren- 
tices take  books  from  it,  regularly  once  a  week. — 
This  institution  was  incorporated  by  an  act  of  the 
Legislature,  passed  in  November,  1824.  The  pre- 
sent officers  are, 

Robert  Snow,  President ;  Thomas  Kirk,  Vice- 
President  ;  Andrew  Mercein,  Treasurer ;  Robert 
Nicholls,  Secretary. 


87 


i 


Under  this  head  it  may  be  proper  to  notice,  that 
there  are  two  Masonic  lodges  in  this  town,  and  a 
Post  office. 

Fortitude  Lodge,  No.  81. — W.  Levi  Porter, 
Master. 

Hohenlinden  Lodge,  No.  338.— W,  Abiathar 
Young,  Master. 

The  Post  office  is  kept  at  No.  97  Fulton-street, 
by  George  L.  Birch,  Esq.  Post  Master.  The  mail 
is  carried  daily  (Sundays  excepted)  between  Brook- 
lyn and  New-York,  and  closes  at  Brooklyn  at  8 
A.  M.  and  arrives  at  4  P.  M. 


Within  a  few  years  this  town,  and  particularly  the 
village  has  increased  very  rapidlj'.  In  1814,  the 
town  of  Brooklyn  contained  3805  inhabitants  ;  and 
in  1816,  the  town  contained  4402  inhabitants.  In 
1820,  the  census  was  as  follows,  (being  almost  two 
thirds  of  the  population  of  the  County.) 

White  males,  under  10  years  of  age,  876 
do.  between  10  and  16  376 
do.  between  16  and  26  717 
do.  between  26  and  45  961 
do.        between  45  and  upwards  379 


White  females,  under  10  years  of  age,  876 


POPULATION   AND  INCREASE. 


3309 


do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 


between  10  and  16  398 
between  16  and  26  705 
between  26  and  45  961 
between  45  and  upwards379 


Free  blacks, 
Slaves, 


3319 
657 
190 


7475 


88 


Foreigners  not  naturalized  -  -  252 
Persons  engaged  in  Agriculture,     -       -  264 

do.  in  Commerce,  -  67 

do.  in  Manufactures,  -  497 

The  following  account  of  the  population  of  Kings 
County  at  different  periods,  may  not  be  uninterest- 
ing to  many  readers. 

The  population  of  Kings  Coun- 
ty in  1731  was  21 50 

1756  2707 

1771  3623 

1786  3966 

1790  4495 

1800  5740 

1810  8303 

1820  11187  (2  4) 

(24)  Governor  Nicolls  in  a  letter  to  the  Duke  of  York,  November* 
1665,  informed  him  "  that  such  i3  the  meaD  condition  of  this  town,  (New- 
York)  that  not  one  soldier  to  this  day  has  lain  in  sheets,  or  upon  any 
other  bed  than  canvass  and  straw. 

1678,  New-York  contained  343  houses,  and  3430  inhabitants ;  and 
there  were  owned  in  the  City,  three  ships,  eight  sloops  and  seven  boats 

1686.  The  City  of  New- York  contained  594  houses,  and  6000  in- 
habitants ;  and  there  were  owned  in  it,  10  three  masted  vessels  of  be- 
*  veen  80  and  100  tons  ;  3  ketches,  or  barques,  of  about  40  tons  ;  and 
about  20  sloops,  of  25  tons.  In  the  same  year,  the  militia  of  the  colony 
consisted  of  4000  foot,  300  horse,  and  one  company  of  dragoons. 

1696.  There  were  owned  in  the  city  of  New-York,  40  ships,  62 
sloops,  and  62  boats. 

In  1697,  the  population  of  New-Y'ork  has  considerably  decreased, 
rrom  what  it  was  in  1686  ;  the  census  taken  this  year  was  as  follows 
(Men,  946 

Whites  )Women'  "  "  *  "  10,8 
vv  nues  ,  Young  men  and  boys,        -  864 


Young  women  and  girls, 


3727 


(Men,  209 

Blacks.  J  Women,  -  205 

( Boys  and  girls,         -  -       161  575 

Total.  4302 

1731.    The  City  of  New- York  contained 

White  males,        -  3771 

White  females,         -  3274  7Ql.r' 


89 


In  1706,  There  were  64  freeholders  in  the  town 
of  Brooklyn.  In  1802,  their  number  had  only  in- 
creased to  86,  as  appears  from  the  list  of  Jurors  at 
that  period.  In  the  year  1800,  there  were  253  votes 
given  in  this  town,  at  a  contested  election  for  as- 
semblyman. In  1S24,  on  the  same  occasion  1013 
votes  were  taken. 

At  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  the  town 
of  Brooklyn  within  the  bounds  of  the  present  vil- 
lage contained  56  buildings.  In  1821,  the  village 
contained  867  buildings  ;  of  which  96  were  Gro- 
ceries and  Taverns,  and  several  store-houses. — 
These  store-houses  depend  principally,  on  the  ope- 
ration of  the  Quarantine  laws,  in  the  months  of 
June,  July  and  August,  for  business.  On  the  23d 
of  July  in  the  same  year,  there  were  lying  at  the 
wharves  in  this  village,  13  ships,  9  brigs,  8  schoon- 
ers, and  14  sloops.  July  1,  1S24,  there  were  lying 
at  the  wharves  in  this  village,  8  ships,  16  brigs,  20 
schooners,  and  12  sloops. 

In  1S22.  50  dwelling-houses  were  erected  in  this 
village.  In  1S23,  122  frame  dwelling  and  32  brick 
and  brick  front  buildings  were  erected.  January  1, 
1824,  the  village  of  Brooklyn  contained  113  stone, 
brick  and  brick  front  buildings.  During  the  present 
year  143  frame  dwelling-houses  have  been  built  in 
this  village. 

Black  males,         -  78i 
Black  female?,         -      -      -      -     792  ISTi 

Total.  3622 

1756.    The  City  contained  10,381  inhabitants. 
1771.    It  contained  21  863  inhabitants. 
1786.    It  contained  3340  houses,  and  23,614  inhabitant?. 
1790.    It  contained  33131  inhabitants. 
1800.  60189 
1810.  96373 
1820.  13S000 

Q  *        •  Ui  Li    v  X>.  , 


90 


The  town  contains  8  Ropewalks,  which  manu- 
facture 1130  tons  of  cordage  annually;  4  Distil- 
leries ;  2  Spirits  of  Turpentine  Distilleries  ;  1  Glue 
factory;  1  Chain  cable  manufactory  ;  2  Tanneries  ; 
2  White  lead  works ;  1  Whiting  manufactory  ;  I 
Glass  factory  and  1  Furnace  for  casting  iron.  The 
manufacture  of  Hats  is  conducted  on  a  large  scale 
in  this  place. 

In  the  year  1 703,  a  survey  was  made  of  "  Broock- 
lands  improveable  lands  and  meadows  within  fence," 
and  the  same  was  found  to  amount  to  5177  acres. 
At  that  period  the  greatest  holder  of  that  descrip- 
tion of  land  was  Simon  Aersen,  who  owned  200 
acres.  In  1706,  all  the  real  and  personal  estates  of 
the  town  of  Brooklyn  were  assessed  at  £3122  12s. 
Od.  The  tax  on  which  was  £41  3s.  7£d  and  the 
whole  tax  of  the  county  £201  16s  l£d.  In  1707,  the 
real  and  personal  estates  of  this  town  assessed  at 
£3091  lis  Od,  The  government  tax  on  which,  was 
for  the  same  year  £116  7s  3d,  payable  in  two 
payments  ;  and  the  whole  tax  of  the  county  £448  3s 
7d.  The  present  year,  the  real  estate  in  this  town 
was  assessed  at  $2,111,390.  And  the  personal  es- 
tate at  $488,690;  being  considerably  more  than 
one  half  of  the  whole  value  of  the  county.  The 
Ftate,  county  and  town  tax  on  which  amounts  to 
$6,497  71.  At  this  period  there  are  in  the  village 
1149  taxable  persons,  and  the  village  tax  amounts 
to  $2625  76,  averaging  about  $2  29,  each  taxable 
person.  This  village  tax  includes  $450  raised  to 
meet  the  expenses  of  the  Board  of  Health,  and  is 
exclusive  of  all  local  assessments  for  opening  and 
improving  streets,  &lc. 

The  receipts  of  the  overseers  of  the  poor  of  this 
tow  i  for  the  year  1823,  amounted  to  $3108  77,  and 
their  expenditures  to  $3469  49,  leaving  a  balance 
of  $360  72  against  the  town. 


91 


On  the  22d  of  March,  1823,  there  were  54  per- 
sons in  the  Alms-house  ;  51  persons  were  admitted 
during  the  year  ending  March  30,  1824.  During 
the  same  period,  34  were  discharged,  and  10  died. 
March  30,  1824,  there  were  in  the  Alms-house  40 
persons,  viz.  11  men,  16  women,  5  girls,  and  8 
boys.  In  the  winter  of  1823-4,  93  loads  of  wood 
were  distributed  from  this  institution  among  the 
poor  of  the  town.(25) 

April  21,  1701,  a  piece  of  land  about  100  feet 
square,  lying  within  the  present  bounds  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Brooklyn,  was  sold  for  £75,  "current 
money  of  the  Province  of  New-York."  1720  a 
dwelling-house  and  lot  of  ground  containing  62 
feet  front,  61  feet  rear,  and  111  feet  deep,  near  the 
ferry,  on  the  north-east  side  of  what  is  now  called 
Fulton-steet,  sold  for  £260,  "  current  money  of 
New-York.  In  the  year  1784,  all  the  property 
owned  by  the  Corporation  of  the  City  of  New-York 
in  this  town  was  assessed  at  £365,  New-York  cur- 
rency; which  property  is  now  worth  $50,000  at  the 
lowest  calculatic  i. 

August  30,  1701.  John  Bybon  sold  to  Cornelius 
Vanderhove,  for  £37  10s,  the  one  equal  half  part 
of  a  brewhouse,  situate  at  Bedford,  in  the  town  of 
Brookland,  fronting  the  highway  leading  from  Bed- 
ford to  Cripplebush;  together  with  one  equal  half 
part  of  all  the  brewing  vessels,  &c. 

In  1685,  a  Windmill  was  erected  in  this  town  by 
John  Vannise  and  Peter  Hendricks,  for  Michael 
Hainell.  There  is  great  reason  to  believe  that  this 
was  the  first  mill  erected  in  this  town.  August  19, 
1689,  an  agreement  was  entered  into  between  Cor- 
nelius Seberingh  of  Brookland,  and  John  Marsh  of 
East  Jersey,  relative  to  building  a  water  mill  on 

(25)  The  town  is  now  erecting  a  very  neat  building  for  an  Alms 
house,  oa  the  property  lately  purchased  from  Leffert  Lefferts,  Esqr. 


92 


Graver's  kill  in  this  town.  At  present  there  are  in 
this  town  seven  water  mills  and  two  wind  mills. — 
From  February  16,  J  823,  to  February  15,  1824, 
5825  barrels  of  superfine  flour,  260  barrels  of  fine 
flour,  and  124  hogsheads  of  corn  meal  were  inspect- 
in  this  county.  The  most,  if  not  all  of  which  flour 
and  meal  was  manufactured  at  the  mills  in  this 
place. 

SCHOOLS,   NEWS-PAPERS,  AND  MORAL  CHARACTER. 

May  1661,  Charles  Debevoice  was  recommend- 
ed by  Gov.  Stuyvesant  as  a  suitable  person  for 
schoolmaster  of  this  town,  and  also  for  clerk  and 
sexton  of  the  church,  who  was  employed  and  re- 
ceived a  gocd  salary. 

Immediately  previous  to  the  revolutionary  war, 
that  part  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn  which  is  now 
comprised  in  the  bounds  of  the  village,  and  for 
some  distance  without  those  bounds,  supported  but 
one  school,  of  19  scholars,  five  of  whom  were  out 
of  the  family  of  Mr.  Andrew  Patchen.  The  school- 
house  was  situated  on  the  hill,  on  property  which 
was  then  owned  by  Israel  Horsfield,  but  now  be- 
longs to  the  heirs  of  Carey  Ludlow,  deceased. — 
The  teacher  was  Benjamin  Brown,  a  staunch  whig 
from  Connecticut. 

District  School,  No.  1.  This  school  was  organ- 
ized at  a  public  meeting,  held  Jan.  2, 1816,  at  which 
meeting  Andrew  Mercein,  John  Seaman,  and  Ro- 
bert Snow  were  elected  trustees,  and  John  Dough- 
ty clerk  of  the  school.  The  trustees  were  appointed 
a  committee  to  ascertain  a  proper  site  for  building 
a  school-house,  and  report  the  probable  expense 
thereof.  At  a  meeting  held  January  12,  1816,  the 
trustees  reported  that  they  could  purchase  four  lots 
of  ground  on  Concord  street,  of  Mr.  Noah  Water- 
bury,  for  $550.    The  meeting  thereupon  resolved, 


93 


that  "  the  sum  of  $2000  should  be  raised  by  tax  on 
the  inhabitants  of  the  said  district,  to  purchase  said 
lots  and  to  build  a  school-house  thereon  and 
that  in  the  mean  time  the  "  Loisian  school  be  the 
common  school  of  the  said  district  and  that 
11  the  trustees  of  the  district  be  authorized  to  exon- 
erate from  the  payment  of  teacher's  wages  all  such 
poor  and  indigent  persons  as  they  shall  think  pro- 
per, pursuant  to  the  act  of  the  legislature  and 
that  "  it  be  recommended  by  this  meeting,  that  the 
common  school  to  be  taught  in  this  district,  be  on 
the  Lancastrian  plan  of  instruction." 

In  the  school  of  this  district,  which  includes  the 
village  of  Brooklyn,  upwards  of  200  children  are 
taught.  The  price  of  tuition  does  not  exceed  four 
dollars  per  annum,  and  from  that  amount  down  to 
nothing,  in  proportion  to  the  abilities  of  the  pa- 
rent. The  School  District  No.  1,  at  present  con- 
tains  1607,  children  between  the  ages  of  5  and  15 
years,  of  whom  11  57  go  to  the  public  or  private 
schools. 

In  1821  there  were  eight  private  schools  in  the 
village  of  Brooklyn. 

In  1823  the  town  received  from  the  state  $418  13 
for  the  support  of  common  schools. 

The  present  officers  connected  with  the  common 
schools  of  the  tow  n  are — 

Commissioners.  Jordan  Coles,  Robert  Nichols, 
Josiah  Noyes. 

Inspectors.  Charles  I.  Doughty,  Evan  Beynon, 
Robert  Snow. 

Trustees  of  District  School  J\ro.  1.  William 
Cornwell,  Joseph  Sprague,  Charles  I.  Doughty. — 
Clerk,  Ralph  Malbone. 

Newspapers. 

Four  Newspapers  have  been  published  in  this 
town  in  the  following  chronological  order  : 


94 


June  26,  1799.  The  first  number  of  the  "  Cou- 
rier, and  New  York  and  Long-Island  Advertiser," 
published  by  Thomas  Kirk,  Esq.  This  was  the 
first  newspaper  established  on  Long-Island. 

May  26,  1806.  The  first  number  of  the  "  Long 
Island  Weekly  Intelligencer,  published  by  Mess'rs. 
Robinson  and  Little. 

June  1,  1809.  The  first  number  of  the  "  Long 
Island  Star,"  published  by  Thomas  Kirk,  Esq. 

March  7,  1821.  The  first  number  of  the  "  Long 
Island  Patriot,"  published  by  Geo.  L.  Birch,  Esq. 

In  the  month  of  November,  1810,  proposals  were 
issued  by  Benjamin  F.  Cowdrey,  &  Co.  for  estab- 
lishing in  Brooklyn  a  weekly  newspaper,  to  be  en- 
titled "  The  Long-Island  Journal,  and  American 
Freeman."  For  some  reason  unknown  to  the  com- 
piler this  paper  was  not  published. 

During  the  month  of  May,  1820,  Brockholst 
Livingston,  jun.  issued  proposals  for  publishing  a 
weekly  newspaper  in  this  village,  to  be  entitled  the 
"  Long-Island  Republican."  Not  meeting  with 
sufficient  encouragement,  this  attempt  was  aban- 
doned. 

The  only  two  papers  now  in  existence  in  this 
town,  are  "  The  Star,"  published  by  Alden  Spoon- 
er,  Esq.  and  the  "  Long  Island  Patriot,"  by  George 
L.  Birch,  Esq. 

Moral  Character. 

It  is  a  delicate  subject  for  a  writer  to  treat  of  the 
morals  of  a  people  among  whom  he  is  a  resident, 
lest  by  telling  the  truth  too  plainly,  he  awaken  un- 
pleasant feelings  in  the  breasts  of  some  whom  per- 
haps he  would  not  wish  to  offend.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  glaring  faults  are  slightly  passed  over,  or 
palliated,  it  calls  down  on  his  devoted  head  all  the 
envenomed  attacks  of  malicious  criticism.  The 


95 


compiler,  however,  flatters  himself  that  neither  will 
be  the  case  in  this  instance. 

The  people  of  Brooklyn,  it  is  true,  cannot  be 
considered  as  rigid  in  religious  matters  as  the  saints 
of  Oliver  Cromwell's  army,  whose  very  cannon  had 
on  the  inscription  of  "  O  Lord,  open  thou  our  lips, 
and  our  mouth  shall  shew  forth  thy  praise  !"  But 
they  are  far  from  being  irreligious  ;  the  churches 
are  well  filled,  religious  societies  are  liberally  sup- 
ported, vice  discountenanced  ;  and  for  the  more 
effectual  suppression  thereof,  in  1815,  a  society  for 
the  suppression  of  vice  and  immorality  was  formed, 
consisting  of  many  of  the  most  respectable  inhabit- 
ants of  the  town.  By  the  exertions  of  our  Sunday 
school  societies,  attached  to  the  different  congrega- 
tions, the  morals  of  the  younger  part  of  the  com- 
munity have  been  greatly  reformed  ;  and  it  is  high- 
ly gratifying  to  observe  the  improvement  made  in 
the  general  morals,  of  the  town,  in  consequence  of 
their  benevolent  exertions. 

FIRE  DEPARTMENT. 

Although  this  might  with  some  propriety  be  pla- 
ced under  the  head  of  Public  Institutions,  the  com- 
piler has  thought  proper  to  make  it  a  head  of  itself ; 
and  he  hopes  that  the  following  few  historical  facts 
relative  to  this  valuable  department,  may  be  useful 
to  such  as  feel  an  interest  in  its  progression  and 
improvement. 

By  an  act  passed  by  the  legislature  of  this  state, 
March  15,  1788,  "  for  the  better  extinguishing  of 
fires  in  the  town  of  Brooklyn,"  the  number  of  fire- 
men was  limited  to  eight,  who  were  nominated  and 
appointed  by  the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  of  the 
fire  district,  which  was  comprised  within  nearly  the 
same  bounds  with  the  present  village, 


96 


In  the  year  1794  the  sum  of  £188  19s.  \0d.  was 
raised  by  subscription  in  this  town,  for  purchasing 
a  fire  engine.  On  the  24th  March  in  the  following 
year,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  legislature  u  for  the 
better  extinguishing  of  fires"  in  this  town  ;  by 
which  act  the  number  of  firemen  was  increased  to 
thirty. 

1796.  The  sum  of  £49  4s  was  raised  by  sub- 
scription  for  purchasing  "  a  suitable  bell  for  the 
use  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn."  This  is  the  present 
fire  bell. 

March  21,  1797,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  legis- 
lature "  for  the  prevention  of  fires,  and  for  regula- 
ting the  assize  of  bread,  in  the  town  of  Brooklyn." 
This  act  authorised  the  inhabitants  to  choose  not 
less  than  three  nor  more  than  five  freeholders,  who 
might  from  time  to  time  make  such  prudential  by- 
laws as  they  judged  necessary,  for  the  prevention 
of  fires  by  the  burning  of  chimneys,  and  for  sweep- 
ing and  otherwise  cleansing  the  same.  The  inhab- 
itants accordingly  met  on  the  second  Tuesday  of 
May,  in  the  same  year,  and  appointed  Mess'rs. 
Henry  Stanton,  John  Doughty,  Martin  Boerum, 
John  Van  Nostrand.  and  John  Fisher,  to  carry  into 
effect  the  provisions  of  the  above  act.  In  the  exe- 
cution of  which  duty  the  persons  so  appointed  or- 
dained, that  from  and  after  the  11th  day  of  July, 
1797,  a  fine  of  ten  shillings  should  be  levied  on  each 
person  whose  chimney  should  take  fire  through 
carelessness,  or  be  set  on  fire  for  the  purpose  of 
cleansing;  and  that  k'  all  penalties  shall  be  received 
and  recovered  by  the  clerk  of  the  fire  company  for 
the  time  being,  if  he  be  one  of  the  persons  so  cho- 
sen ;  if  not,  the  said  persons  elected  shall  nominate 
and  appoint  one  of  their  number  to  serve  for  and 
receive  in  the  same  manner  that  the  clerk  is  at  pre- 
sent authorised."  From  1798  to  August  6.  1806, 
the  sum  of  £20  7s.  was  received  for  chimney  fines. 


97 


For  a  considerable  length  of  time,  this  town  had  bul 
one  small  fire  engine  ;  they  subsequently  purchased 
another,  which  was  called  No.  2.  About  1810, 
No.  3.  now  styled  the  "  Franklin,"  was  purchased 
by  the  inhabitants  of  the  Fire  District.  The  Fire 
Department  of  the  village  at  present  consists  of  four 
Fire  Engines  (of  which  three  are  new,  namely,  Nos. 
1 ,  2,  and  4,)  and  a  Hook  and  Ladder  Company,  viz. 

No.  1,  "  Washington,"  full  complement  30  men, 
Foreman,  Joshua  Sutton. 

No.  2,  fc- Neptune,"  full  complement  30  men, 
Foreman,  Gamaliel  King. 

No.  3,  "  Franklin,"  full  complement  30  men, 
Foreman,  Jeremiah  Wells. 

No.  4,  "Eagle,"  full  complement  30  men,  Fore- 
man, George  Fricke. 

Hook  and  Ladder  Company,  full  complement 
30  men,  Foreman,  John  Smith. 

There  are  also  in  the  Navy  Yard,  two  excellent 
Fire  Engines,  tidgll  manned,  and  which,  together 
with  those  from  New-York,  generously  come  to  our 
assistance  when  ever  our  place  is  visited  by  that 
dreadful  calamity,  fire. 

The  receipts  of  the  Fire  Department,  from  1794 
to  1815,  amounted  to  £898  10s.  Id.  and  the  ex- 
penditures from  July  7,  1795,  to  November  15, 

1816,  amounted  to  £964  3s.  3d. 

The  office  of  Clerk  and  Treasurer  of  the  Fire 
Department  of  this  town,  was  held  by  John  Hicks, 
Esq.  until  1796  ;  at  which  time  John  Doughty,  Esq. 
was  appointed,  who  held  that  office  until  the  incor- 
poration of  the  village  in  18J6,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed Chief  Engineer  of  the  Fire  Department  of 
the  village,  which  office  he  held  for  one  year.  In 

1817,  William  Furman,  Esq.  was  appointed  Chief 
Engineer,  and  officiated  in  that  capacity  until  1821, 
when,  on  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Furman,  Joh» 

9 


98 


Doughty,  Esq.  was  again  appointed,  and  continues 
to  hold  the  office.  The  present  officers  of  the  Fire 
Department  are, 

John  Doughty,  Chief  Engineer. 

Fire  Wardens.  Joseph  Moser,  Edward  Coope, 
Joseph  Sprague. 

April  16,  1823,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Legis- 
lature of  this  state  to  incorporate  the  firemen  of 
this  village,  by  the  name  of  the  "  Fire  Department 
of  the  Village  of  Brooklyn."  The  act  allows  this 
corporation  to  hold, purchase, and  convey  any  estate, 
real  or  personal  for  the  use  of  the  corporation ;  pro- 
vided such  real  or  personal  estate  shall  not  at  any- 
time exceed  the  yearly  value  of  $1000.  The  fol- 
lowing officers  were  appointed  by  the  act  of  incor- 
poration, viz. 

John  Doughty,  President. 
Joshua  Sutton,  Vice-President. 
Richard  Cornwell,  Secretary. 

Trustees.  Jeremiah  Wells,  Morris  Simonson, 
Michael  Trapple,  Joseph  Moser,  George  Fricke, 
Gamaliel  King,  Simeon  Back,  Parshall  Wells, 
George  L.  Birch. 

1  he  laudable  object  proposed  by  this  institution, 
is  to  raise  a  fund  for  the  relief  of  widows  and  chil- 
dren of  deceased  firemen. 

Bjr  an  amendment  to  the  act  of  Incorporation  of 
the  village  of  Brooklyn,  passed  April  9,  1824,  it  is 
provided,  "  That  all  fines  and  penalties  under  any 
by-law  of  the  said  village,  in  relation  to  the  burn- 
ing of  chimneys,  and  for  the  preventing  and  extin- 
guishing of  fires,  and  also,  all  fines  and  penalties 
either  under  such  by-laws,  or  under  any  statute  of 
this  state,  in  relation  to  the  manner  of  keeping  and 
transporting  gun-powder  within  the  said  village, 
shall  be  sued  for  in  the  name  of  the  said  Trustees, 
(of  the  village  of  Brooklyn)  by  the  fire  department 


99 


of  the  said  village,  and  when  recovered  shall  be  paid 
to  the  said  fire  department,  for  their  own  use." 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

June  7,  1625,  Sarah  De  Rapalje,  born  in  this 
town.  Tradition  says  that  she  was  the  first  white 
child  born  in  the  colony.  Her  parents  were  Wal- 
loons ;  from  whence  is  derived  the  name  of  Walla- 
boght,  or  Walloons  Bay,  where  they  lived. (2  6)  She 
was  twice  married.  Her  first  husband  was  Hans 
Hanse  Bergen,  by  whom  she  had  six  children,  viz. 
Michael  Hanse,  Joris  Hanse,  Jan  Hanse,  Jacob 
Hanse,  Brechje  Hanse,  and  Marytje  Hanse.  Her 
second  husband  was  Tei:nis  Guysbertse  Bogart,  by 
whom  she  also  had  six  children,  viz.  Aurtie  Bogart, 
Antje  Bogart,  Neeltje  Bogart,  Aultje  Bogart,  Cate- 
lyntje  Bogart,  and  Guysbert  Bogart.  The  account 
of  Sarah  De  Rapelje  in  the  archives  of  the  New- 
York  Historical  Society  contains  the  names  of  the 
persons  to  whom  eleven  of  her  children  were  mar- 
ried, and  tells  the  places  where  they  settled.  The 
twelfth,  Brechje  Hanse  went  to  Holland. 

March  I,  1665,  Hendrick  Lubbertson  and  John 
Evertsen,  appeared  as  deputies  from  the  town  of 
Brooklyn,  at  the  Assembly  convened  at  Hemp- 
stead, by  order  of  Richard  Nicolls,  Deputy  Gover- 
nor under  the  Duke  of  York;  at  which  assembly 
the  code  of  laws  called  the  "  Duke's  laws"  were 
adopted  and  published.  In  the  appendix  marked 
E.  will  be  found  the  address  which  these  deputies, 
together  with  the  others,  sent  to  the  Duke  of  York  ; 
and  which  occasioned  so  much  excitement  in  the 
Colony  at  that  period. 

(26)  The  first  settlement  in  this  town  wa9  made  by  George  Jansen 
JDe  Rapalje,  the  father  of  Sarah  in  1625,  on  the  farm  which  is  now  own- 
ed by  the  family  of  the  Schencks  at  the  Waliaboght. 


100 


1671,  This  town,  with  five  other  towns  in  the 
West  Riding  of  Yorkshire  upon  Long-Island,  peti- 
tioned the  Court  of  Sessions  "  for  liberty  to  trans- 
port wheate,"  which  petition  was  referred  to  the 
Governor. 

1 687.  The  Clerk's  office  of  KingsCounty  was  kept 
in  this  town,  by  the  Deputy  Register,  Jacob  Van- 
dewater,  who  was  also  a  Notary  Public  in  this  town 
at  the  same  period.  The  Register,  Samuel  Bay- 
ard, Esq.  resided  in  the  city  of  New-York. 

About  the  year  1691,  there  was  a  custom  pre- 
valent in  this  town  of  calling  a  widow  the  "  last 
wife"  of  her  deceased  husband  ;  and  a  widower  the 
iClast  man"  of  his  deceased  wife. 

The  following  is  an  Inventory  of  the  estate  which 
a  bride  in  this  town  brought  with  her  to  her  hus- 
band in  the  year  1691.  The  husband  by  various 
records  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  considerable 
wealth  ;  notwithstanding  which,  the  following  in- 
ventory was  thought  by  both  of  them,  of  sufficient 
importance  to  merit  being  recorded,  viz. 

"  A  half  worn  bed,  pillow,  2  cushions  of  ticking 
with  feathers,  one  rug,  4  sheets,  4  cushion  covers, 
fi  iron  potts,  3  pewter  dishes,  1  pewter  bason,  1  iron 
roaster,  I  schuryn  spoon,  2  cowes  about  fiveyeares 
old,  1  case  or  cupboard,  1  table/' 

November  12,  1695,  the  Court  of  Sessions  for 
Kings  County,  ordered  that  the  Constable  of  this 
towns,  "shall  on  Sunday  or  Sabbathday  take  law 
for  *he  apprehending  of  all  Sabbath  breakers,"  and 
"  search  all  ale  houses,  taverns  and  other  suspected 
places  for  all  prophaners  and  breakers  of  the  Sab- 
bath daye,"  and  bring  them  before  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace  to  be  dealt  with  according  to  law.  This  was 
to  be  done  by  the  Constable  under  the  penalty  of 
six  shillings  for  each  neglect  or  default, 


101 


The  same  Court  also  made  an  order,  "  that  Mad 
James  be  kept  by  Kings  County  in  general,  and 
that  the  deacons  of  each  tovvne  within  the  said  coun- 
ty doe  forthwith  meet  together  and  consider  about 
their  propercons  for  maintainence  of  said  James  " 
This  is  the  first  instance  which  has  come  to  the 
compiler's  knowledge  of  the  Court  making  an  order 
for  the  county  generally  to  support  a  pauper. 

In  the  year  1758,  the  sum  of  £122  18s.  7d.  was 
assessed  in  two  assessments,  by  the  Justices  of  the 
Peace,  on  this  town,  towards  building  "  a  new- 
Court  house  and  gaol"  for  Kings  County.  The 
whole  amount  assessed  on  the  County  was  £448 
4s.  Id. 

The  present  Court  house  of  Kings  County,  was 
built  by  contract  in  the  year  1792,  at  an  expense 
of  $2944,  71,  under  the  superintendence  of  John 
Vanderbilt,  Johannes  E.  Lott,  and  Charles  Dough- 
ty, Esq'rs.  The  contractor  was  Thomas  Fardon, 
and  plans  were  furnished  for  the  building  by  Messrs, 
Stanton  and  Newton,  and  James  Robertson. (2  7) 

(27)  Id  1700  the  Court  House  was  let  to  James  Simson  for  one  year, 
at  L3  **  in  money."  In  this  agreement,  "  the  Justices  reserved  for 
themselves  the  Chamber  in  the  said  house,  called  the  Court  Chamber, 
at  the  time  of  their  publique  Sessions,  Courts  of  Common  Pleas,  and 
private  meetings  ;  as  also  the  room  called  the  prison  for  the  use  of  the 
Sheriff  if  he  hath  occasion  for  it." 


9* 


APPENDIX, 


A 

Deed  from  William  Morris  and  wife  to  the  Corporation 
of  JVew-  York, 

TMs  Indenture  made  the  twelfth  day  of  October,  in 
the  sixth  year  of  the  reign  of  our  Sovereign  Lord  and 
Lady  William  and  Mary,  by  the  grace  of  God,  of  En- 
gland, Scotland,  France,  and  Ireland,  King  and  Queen, 
defenders  of  the  faith,  &c.  and  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  thousand  six  hundred  and  ninety-four,  between  Wil- 
liam Morris,  now  of  the  ferry,  in  the  bounds  of  the 
town  of  Breuchlen,  in  Kings  County,  on  Long-Island, 
Gentleman,  and  Rebecca  his  wife  of  the  one  part,  and 
the  Mayor,  Aldermen  and  Commonalty  of  the  City  of 
New-York,  of  the  other  part,  Witnesseth,  that  the  said 
William  Morris,  by  and  with  the  consent  of  Rebecca 
his  said  wife,  testified  by  her  being  a  party  to  the  seal- 
ing and  delivery  of  these  presents,  for,  and  in  consider- 
ation of  a  certain  sum  of  good  and  lawful  money  to  him, 
at  and  before  the  sealing  and  delivery  hereof,  by  the 
said  Mayor,  Aldermen  and  Commonalty,  in  hand  well 
anjj  truly  paid,  the  receipt  whereof  he  the  said  William 
Morris  doth  hereby  acknowledge,  and  thereof  and  there- 
from and  of  and  from  all  and  every  part  thereof,  he 
doth  hereby  acquit,  exonerate  and  discharge  the  said 
.Mayor,  Aldermen  and  Commonalty,  and  their  succes- 
sors forever,  hath  granted,  bargained,  sold,  assigned, 
conveyed  and  confirmed,  and  by  these  presents  doth 
grant,  bargain,  sell,  assign,  convey  and  confirm  unto 
t  he  said  Mayor,  Aldermen  and  Commonalty  of  the  said 
city  of  New-Yoik,  and  their  successors  forever.  All  that 
messuage  or  dwelling  house  and  lot  of  ground  there- 
unto adjoining  and  belonging,  with  the  appurtenances, 
situate,  lying  and  being  at  the  ferry,  in  the  bounds  of 
the  town  of  Breucklen,  in  Kings  County  aforesaid,  now 
and  late  in  the  possession  of  him,  the  said  William 


103 

Morris  ;  as  aiso  one  small  house,  now  in  the  possession 
of  one  Thomas  Hock,  lying  in  the  said  City  of  New- 
York,  over  against  the  ferry  aforesaid,  Together  with  all 
and  singular  houses,  barns,  stables,  yards,  backsides, 
wharfs,  easements,  benefits,  emolument,  hereditaments, 
and  appurtenances  to  the  same  messuage  or  dwelling 
house  and  premises  belonging,  or  in  any  wise  apper- 
taining, and  the  reversion  and  reversions,  remainder  and 
remainders,  rents,  issues,  and  profits  of  all  and  singular 
the  premisses  and  the  appurtenances,  and  all  the  estate, 
right,  title  interest,  property,  possession,  claim  and  de- 
mand of  him  the  said  William  Morris  and  Rebecca  his 
said  wife,  of,  in,  unto  or  out  of  the  said  messuage  or 
dwelling  house  and  premises,  or,  of,  in,  unto,  or  out  of, 
all  or  any  part  or  parcel  thereof,  and  all  and  singular 
grants,  deeds,  escripts,  mlnuments,  writings  and  evi- 
dences, touching,  relating  to  or  concerning  the  above- 
mentioned,  to  be  bargained,  messuage  or  dwelling  house 
and  all  and  singular,  the  premises  with  the  heredita- 
ments and  appurtenances  to  the  same  belonging,  or  any 
part  thereof,  unto  the  said  Mayor,  Aldermen  and  Com- 
monalty of  the  Cirv  of  New-York,  aforesaid,  and  their 
successors  unto  the  only  proper  use,  benefit  and  behoof 
of  the  said  Mayor,  Aldermen  and  Commonalty  of  the 
City  ol  New-York  afjresaid,  their  successors  and  assigns 
forever.    In  witness,  &c.  (28) 

A  Warrant  for  enforcing  the  payment  of  a  town  tax  in 
the  toron  of  Brooklyn* 

Whereas  there  was  an  order  or  towne  lawe  by  the 
freeholders  of  the  towne  of  Brooklyn,  in  Kings  County 
aforesaid,  the  5th  day  of  May,  1701,  ffor  constituting 

(28)  The  above  deed  to  the  Corporation  of  New-York  did  not  extend 
to  the  River.  January  15,  1717,  Samuel  Garritseu,  of  Gravesend,  quit- 
claimed to  David  Aersen  of  Brooklyn,  all  his  right  ana  title  to  a  piece 
of  land, 41  lying  next  to  the  house  and  land  belonging  to  the  City  of  New- 
York,  bounded  north-west  by  the  River,  south-east  by  the  highway  that 
goes  to  the  ferry,  south-west  by  the  house  and  land  belonging  to  the 
City  of  New-York,  and  north-east  by  the  house  and  land  belonging  to 
the  said  John  Rapalje,  containing  one  acre  be  the  same  more  or  less." 
On  the  16th  day  of  the  same  month,  David  Aersen  sold  this  property  to 
Gerrit  Harsum  of  New-York,  Gunsmith,  for  the  sum  ofLl08  current 
money  of  New-York. 


104 

and  appointing  of  Trustrees  to  defend  the  rights  of 
their  quondam  common  wood  lands,  and  to  raise  a  tax 
ffor  the  same  to  defray  the  charge  of  that  and  theire 
towne  debts.  &c.  which  said  la  we  has  bin  since  ffurther 
confirmed  by  said  ffreeholders  at  a  towne  meeting  at 
Bedford,  the  1 1th  of  Aprill,  1702,  and  since  approved 
of  and  confirmed  by  a  Court  of  Sessions,  held  at  Fflat- 
bush,  in  said  County  the  13th  day  of  May,  1702.  And 
whereas  by  virtue  of  said  lawe,  a  certaine  small  tax  was 
raised  on  the  ffreeholders  in  said  towne  proportionably 
to  defray  the  charges  aforesaid  :  And  now  upon  com- 
plaint of  the  said  Trustees  to  us  made,  that  A  B.  has 
refused  to  pay  his  juste  and  due  proporcon  of  said  tax 
wch  amounts  to  L\  16s  Od,  current  money  of  New- 
York.  These  are  therefore  in  her  Majesty's  name,  to 
command  you  to  summons  A.  B.  personally  to  be  and 
appeare  before  us,  Sec,  then  and  there  to  answer  C.  D. 
E.  F.  Trustees  of  said  towne  of  Brooklin,  in  an  action 
of  tresspass  on  the  case,  to  the  damage  of  the  said  CD. 
E.  F.  IA  16s  Od,  current  money  as  aforesaid,  as  it  is 
said,  and  have  with  you  then  there  this  precept.  Giv- 
en, &c. 

B. 

Brookland,  November  14th,  1753.  A  Town  meeting 
rolled  by  warrant  of  Carel  Debevois,  Esq.  and  Jacobus 
Debevois,  Esq.  two  of  his  Majesty's  Justices  for  the 
township  of  Brookland,  in  the  County  of  Kings,  to  elect 
and  chuse  Trustees  to  defend  our  Patent  of  Brookland 
against  the  Commonalty  of  the  City  of  New-York. — 
And  the  Trustees  so  elected  and  chosen  by  the  free- 
holders and  inhabitants  of  the  township  of  Brookland 
aforesaid,  are  as  follows  :  Jacobus  LefYerts,  Peter  Van- 
dei  voort,  Jacob  Remsen,  Rem  Remsen,  and  Nicholas 
Vechte.  And  we  the  hereunder  subscribers  being  free- 
holders and  inhabitants  of  the  township  of  Brookland,  by 
these  presents  do  fully  impower  and  authorize  the 
abovesaid  Trustees,  Jacobus  LefTerts,  Peter  Vande- 
voort,  Jacob  Remsen,  Rem  Remsen,  and  Nicholas 
Vechte,  elected  and  chosen  by  the  freeholders  and  in- 
habitants of  the  township  of  Brookland  aforesaid,  to  de- 


105 


tend  our  patent  where  in  any  manner  our  liberties,  pri- 
vileges and  rights  in  our  patent  specified  is  incroached, 
lessened  or  taken  away  by  the  Commonalty  of  the  City 
of  New-York.  And  that  we  hereunder  subscribers  of 
the  township  of  Brookland,  oblige  ourselves,  our  heirs, 
executors  and  administrators  to  pay  to  the  abovesaid 
Trustees,  all  cost  that  they  are  at  in  protecting  of  the 
profits  of  our  patent,  and  that  money  shall  be  collected 
in  by  the  constable  of  our  town.  And  that  the  above- 
said  Trustees  do  oblige  themselves  to  render  upon  oath 
a  true  account  of  all  such  moneys  they  have  expended 
in  protecting  or  defending  our  patent,  to  any  person  or 
persons,  as  the  hereunder  subscribers  shall  appoint  for 
that  purpose.  And  in  defending  our  patent  so  that  ver- 
dict shall  come  in  our  favour,  where  income  of  money 
or  other  piofits  should  arise  concerning  the  premises, 
all  such  profits  or  income  should  be  kept  towards  de- 
fraying ot  all  the  necessary  cost  and  charge  of  our  town- 
ship of  Brookland,  till  such  time  as  it  is  altered  by  the 
majority.  And  that  the  Trustees  should  have  three 
shillings  per  day  for  their  service  and  no  more. 

C. 

The  Petition  of  Volkert  Brier. 

To  his  Excellency — The  humble  peticon  of  Vol- 
kert Brier,  inhabitant  of  ihe  towne  of  Broockland,  on 
the  Island  of  Nassau. 

May  it  please  your  Excellency  your  peticoner  being 
fined  five  pounds  last  Court  of  Sessions,  in  Kings  Coun- 
ty for  tearing  an  execucon  directed  to  him  as  Constable. 
Your  peticoner  being  ignorant  of  the  crime,  and  not 
thinking  it  was  of  force  when  he  was  out  of  his  office, 
or  that  he  should  have  made  returne  of  it  as  the  la  we 
directs,  he  being  an  illiterate  man  could  not  read  said  ex- 
ecucon nor  understand  any  thing  of  lawe :  humbly  prays 
yr  Excellency  yt  you  would  be  pleased  to  remit  said 
fine  of  five  pounds,  yr  peticoner  being  a  poore  man  and 
not  capaciated  to  pay  said  fine  without  great  damage 
to  himself  and  family.  And  for  yr  Excellecy  yr  peti- 
coner will  ever  pray,  &c. 


106 


D. 

A  Letter  from  Justice  Ffilkin  to  the  Secretary  at 
New-  York. 

Sir, — I  am  in  expectation  of  a  complaint  coming  to 
his  Excellency  by  Coll.  Beeckman  against  me,  and  that 
his  Excellency  may  be  lightly  informed  of  the  matter, 
my  humble  request  to  you  is,  that  if  such  a  thing  hap- 
pen, be  pleased  to  give  his  Excellency  an  account  there- 
of, which  is  as  follows :  A  Ffriday  night  last,  the  Jus- 
tices of  the  County  and  I  came  from  his  Excellency's  ; 
Coll.  Beeckman  happened  to  come  over  in  the  fferry 
boat  along  with  us,  and  as  we  came  over  the  fferry, 
Coll.  Bteckman  and  we  went  into  the  fferry  house  to 
drink  a  glass  of  wine,  and  being  soe  in  company,  there 
happened  a  dispute  between  Coll.  Beeckman  and  my- 
self, about  his  particular  order  that  he  lately  made  to 
Mr.  Ffreeman,  when  he  was  President  of  the  Councill, 
without  the  consent  of  the  Councill ;  Coll.  Beeckman 
stood  to  affirm  there,  before  most  of  the  Justices  of 
Kings  County,  that  said  order,  that  he  made  then  to 
Mr.  Ffreeman  as  President  only,  was  still  in  fforce,  and 
that  Mr.  Ffreeman  should  preach  at  Broockland  next 
Sunday  according  to  that  order  ;  whereupon  I  said  it 
was  not  in  fforce,  but  void  and  of  noe  effect,  and  he  had 
not  in  this  County,  any  more  power  now  than  I  have, 
being  equall  in  commission  with  him  in  the  general 
commission  of  the  peace  and  one  of  the  quorum  as  well 
as  he ;  upon  which  he  gave  me  affronting  words,  giv- 
ing me  the  lie  and  calling  me  pittifull  fellow,  dog, 
rogue,  rascall,  &c.  which  caused  me,  being  overcome 
with  passion,  to  tell  him  that  I  had  a  good  mind  to  knock 
him  off  his  horse,  we  being  both  at  that  time  getting 
upon  our  horses  to  goe  home,  but  that  I  would  not  goe, 
I  wovld  fight  Lim  at  any  time  with  a  sword.  I  could 
wish  that  these  last  words  had  bin  kept  in,  and  I  am 
troubled  that  I  was  soe  overcome  with  passion  and  in- 
flamed with  wine.  The  works  of  these  Dutch  minis- 
ters is  the  occasion  of  all  our  quarrells.^28)    And  this 

(28)  The  compiler  congratulates  his  fellow  citizens  on  the  extinction 
of  those  national  animosities  which  in  former  times  existed  between  the 
Dutch  and  English  in  this  our  happy  country,  LWe  may  now  truly  a:-k 
with  Sterne,     are  we  not  all  relations?" 


107 


is  the  truth  of  the  matter,  there  was  no  blows  ofTerred, 
nor  noe  more  done.  Mr.  Ffreeman  has  preached  at 
B  oockland  yesterday  accordingly,  and  the  church  doore 
was  broke  open,  by  wnom  it  is  not  yet  knowne.  Soe  I 
beg  your  pardon  ft  r  tnis  trouble,  crave  your  favour  in 
this  matter,  and  sh;  ll  al waves  remaine. 

Sir,  your  ffaithful  and  humble  servant, 

H  FFILKIN, 

EE] 

The  jiddress  of  the  Detiuties,  assembled  at  Hemfistead. 

We  the  deputies  duly  elected  from  the  several  towns 
upon  Long-Island,  being  assembled  at  Hempstead,  in 
general  meeting,  by  authority  derived  from  your  royal 
highness  unto  the  honorable  Colonel  Micolls,  as  deputy 
governor,  do  most  humbly  and  thankfully  acknowledge 
to  your  rojal  highness,  the  great  honor  and  satisfaction 
we  receive  in  our  dependence  upon  your  royal  highness 
according  to  the  tenor  of  his  sacred  majesty's  patent, 
granted  the  12th  day  of  March,  1664  ;  wherein  we  ac- 
knowledge ourselves,  our  heirs  and  successors  forever^ 
to  be  comprized  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  as  therein 
is  more  at  large  expressed.  And  we  do  publickly  and 
unanimously  declare  our  cheerful  submission  to  all  such 
laws,  statutes  and  ordinances,  which  are  or  shall  be 
made  by  virtue  of  authority  from  your  royal  highness, 
your  heirs  and  successors  forever  :  As  also,  that  we 
will  maintain,  uphold,  and  defend,  to  the  utmost  of  our 
power,  and  peril  of  us,  our  heirs  and  successors  forever, 
all  the  rights,  title,  and  interest,  granted  by  his  sacred 
majesty  to  your  royal  highness,  against  all  pretensions 
or  invasions,  foreign  or  domestic  ;  we  being  already 
well  assured,  that,  in  so  doing,  we  perform  our  duty  of 
allegiance  to  his  majesty,  as  freeborn  subjects  of  the 
kingdom  of  England  inhabiting  in  these  his  majesty's 
dominions.  We  do  farther  beseech  your  royal  high- 
ness to  accept  of  this  address,  as  the  first  fruits  in  this 
general  meeting,  for  a  memorial  and  record  against  us, 
our  heirs  and  successors,  when  we  or  any  of  them  shall 
fail  in  our  duties.    Lastly  we  beseech  your  royal  high- 


108 


ness  to  t?ke  our  poverties  and  necessities,  in  this  wilder- 
ness country,  into  speedy  consideration  ;  that,  by  con- 
stant supplies  of  trade,  and  your  royal  highnesses  more 
particular  countenance  of  grace  to  us,  and  protection  of 
us,  we  may  daily  mone  and  more  be  encouraged  to  be- 
stow our  labors  to  the  improvement  of  these  his  majes- 
ty's western  dominions,  under  your  royal  highness  ;  for 
whose  health,  long  life,  and  eternal  happiness,  we  shall 
ever  pray,  as  in  duty  bound. 


List  of  the  Deputies. 


New-Utrecht 

Gravesend 

Fiatlands 

Flatbush 

Bushwick 

Brooklyn 

Newtown 

Flushing 

Jamaica 

Hempstead 

Oysterbay 

Huntington 

Biookhaven 

Southold 

Southampton 

Eastbampton 

Westchester 


Jaques  Cortelleau 
J.  mes  Hubbard, 
E;bert  Elbertsen 
John  Striker 
John  Stealman 


Younger  Hope 
John  Bowne 
Roeloffe  Martense 
Hendrick  Gucksen 
G;sbert  Tunis 


llendru  k  Lubbertsen  John  Evertsen 


Richard  Betts 
Elias  Doughty 
Daniel  Denton 
John  Hicks 
John  Undtrhill 
Jonas  Wood 
Daniel  Lane 
William  Weils 
Thomas  Topping 
Thomas  B  ker 
Edward  Jessup 


John  Coe 
Richard  Cornhill 
Thomas  Benedict 
Robert  Jackson 
Matthias  Harvey 
John  Ketcham 
Roger  Barton 
John  Youngs 
John  Howell 
John  Stratton 
 Quinby 


The  people  of  Long-Island  considered  the  language 
of  this  address  as  too  servile  for  freemen  ;  and  were 
exasperated  against  the  makers  of  it  to  such  a  degree 
that  the  court  of  assizes,  in  order  to  save  the  deputies 
from  abuse,  if  not  from  personal  violence,  thought  it 
expedient,  at  their  meeting  in  October  1666,  to  declare 
that  "  whose  ever  hereafter  shall  any  wayes  detract  or 
speake  against  any  of  the  deputies  signing  the  address 
to  his  royall  highnes?  at  the  general  meeting  at  Hemp- 
stead, they  shall  bee  presented  to  the  next  court  of  ses- 
sions, and  if  the  justices  shall  see  cause,  they  shall 


109 

from  thence  bee  bound  over,  to  the  assizes,  there  to 
answer  for  the  slander  upon  plaint  or  information." 

The  deputies  subsequently  to  the  address  made  to 
the  duke  of  York,  made  one  to  the  people,  in  which 
they  set  forth  their  reasons  for  agreeing  to  the  code 
styled  the  duke's  laws. 


10 


APPENDIX,  No.  2. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  first  charter  by  which 
the  corporation  obtained  any  color  of  title  to  the  land 
between  high  and  low  water  mark,  on  the  Brooklyn  side. 

4t  Anne,  by  the  grace  of  God,  of  England,  Scotland, 
France  and  Ireland,  Queen,  defender  of  the  Faith,  &x« 
To  all  whom  these  presents  may  in  any  wise  con- 
cern, sendeth  greeting.  Whereas  the  mayor,  alder- 
men, aad  commonalty  of  the  city  of  New-York,  by  their 
petition  to  our  trusty  and  well-beloved  cousin  Edward, 
Viscount  Cornbury,  (29)  our  captain  general  and  go- 
vernor in  chief  in  and  over  our  province  of  New-York, 
and  territories  depending  thereon  in  America,  and  Vice 
Admiral  of  the  same,  &x.  preferred  in  council ;  therein 
setting  forth,  that  they  having  a  right  and  interest,  un- 
der divers  antient  charters  and  grants,  by  divers  former 
governors  and  commanders  in  chief  of  our  said  province 
of  New-York,( 3  °)  under  our  noble  progenitors,  in  a  cer- 

(29)  41  Lord  Cornbury  came  to  this  province  in  very  indigent  circum- 
stances, hunted  out  of  England  by  a  host  of  hungry  creditors,  he  was 
bent  on  getting  as  mucli  money  as  he  could  squeeze  out  of  the  purses  of 
ar  impoverished  people."  He  was  infamous  for  his  "  excessive  avarice 
his  embezzlement  of  the  public  money,  and  his  sordid  refusal  to  pay  his 
private  debts."  Cornbury  became  so  obnoxious  to  the  inhabitants  of 
this  province,  that  they  sent  a  complaint  to  England  against  him.  The 
Queen  in  consequence  of  this  complaint  displaced  him.  44  As  soon  as 
his  lordship  was  superseded,  his  creditors  threw  him  into  the  custody 
of  the  sheriff  of  New-York."  See  Smith's  History  of  New-York.  Such 
was  the  man  from  whom  the  corporation  of  New-York  obtained  the 
rights  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn. 

(30^  These  44  d;vers  former  governors,"  &c.  are  limited  to  two,  viz, 
NicoiiS,  who  in  1665  granted  them  a  charter,  if  that  may  be  strictly 
called  so,  which  only  altered  their  form  of  government  from  scout, 
burgomasters*  and  schepens,  to  mayor  and  aldermen,  without  a  word 
about  ferries  or  water  rights,  or  indeed  any  other  matter — the  original 
of  which  paper  is  not  in  existence.  There  is  nothing  to  warrant  a  be- 
lief that  there  was  a  charter  of  any  kind  granted  to  the  corporation 
between  Nicolls  and  Dongan,  who  is  the  second  of  these  "  divers  for- 
mer governors,"  &c.  and  who  in  1636  granted  them  the  ferry,  (as  is 
mentioned  in  a  former  part  of  this  work)  with  an  express  reservation  as 
to  the  rights  of  all  others.  The  charter  of  Dongan,  notwithstanding 
all  their  pompous  recitals,  is  the  oldest  they  can  produce,  which  in  any 
manner  affects  the  interests  of  this  town  . 


Ill 


tain  ferry  from  the  said  city  of  New-York,  over  the  East 
River,  to  Nassau  Island,  (alias  Long-Island)  and  from 
the  said  Island  to  the  said  city  again,  and  have  possess- 
ed the  same,  and  received  all  the  profits  benefits  and 
advantages  thereof  for  the  space  of  fifty  years  and  up- 
wards ;  and  perceiving  the  profits,  advantages,  and  be- 
nefits usually  issuing  out  of  the  same,  to  diminish,  de- 
crease, and  fall  short  of  what  might  be  reasonably  made 
of  the  same,  for  the  want  of  the  bounds  and  limits  to  be 
extended  and  enlarged  on  the  said  Island  side,  whereby 
to  prevent  divers  persons  transporting  themselves  and 
goods  to  and  from  the  said  Island  Nassau  (alias  Long 
Island)  over  the  said  river,  without  coming  or  landing 
at  the  usual  and  accustomed  places,  where  the  ferry 
boats  are  usually  kept  and  appointed,  to  the  great  loss 
and  damage  of  the  said  city  of  New-York  ;  have  hum- 
bly prayed  our  grant  and  confirmation,  under  the  great 
seal  of  our  said  province  of  New-York,  of  the  said  ferry, 
called  the  Old  Ferry,  on  both  sides  of  the  said  East 
River,  for  the  transporting  of  passengers,  goods,  horses 
and  cattle,  to  and  rrom  the  said  city,  as  the  same  is  now 
held  and  enjoyed  by  the  said  mayor,  aldermen  and  com- 
monalty of  the  said  city  of  New-York,  or  their  under 
tenant,  or  under  tenants  ;  and  also  of  all  that  vacant 
and  unappropriated  land,  from  high  water  mark  to  low 
water  mark,  on  the  said  Nassau  Island,  (alias  Long 
Island]  lying  contiguous  and  fronting  the  said  city  of 
New  York,  from  a  certain  place  called  the  Wall-about, 
unto  the  Red  Hook,  over  against  Nutten  Island,  for  the 
better  improvement  and  accommodation  of  the  said  fer- 
ry ;  with  full  power,  leave  and  license  to  set  up,  estab- 
lish, maintain,  and  keep  one  or  more  ferry,  or  ferries, 
for  the  ease  and  accommodation  of  all  passengers  and 
travellers,  for  the  transportation  of  themselves,  goods? 
horses  and  cattle,  over  the  said  river,  within  the  bounds 
aforesaid,  as  they  shall  see  meet  and  convenient,  and 
occasion  require  ;  and  to  establish,  ordain  and  make, 
bye  laws,  orders,  and  ordinances  for  the  due  and  order- 
ly regulation  of  the  same  :  The  which  petition  we  be- 
ing minded  to  grant,  Know  Ye,  That  of  our  especial 
grace,  certain  knowledge  and  meer  motion,  we  have 


112 


given,  granted,  ratified  and  confirmed,  and  in  and  by 
these  presents,  for  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  we  do 
give,  grant,  ratify  and  confirm,  unto  the  said  mayor,  al- 
dermen and  commonalty  of  the  city  of  New-York,  and 
to  their  successors  and  assigns,  all  that  the  said  ferry, 
called  the  Old  Ferry,  on  both  sides  of  the  said  East  Ri- 
ver, for  the  transportation  of  passengers,  goods,  horses 
and  cattle,  over  the  said  river,  to  and  from  the  said  city 
and  island,  as  the  same  is  now  used,  held  and  enjoyed, 
by  the  said  mayor,  aldermen  and  commonalty  of  the 
city  of  New-York,  or  their  under  tenant  or  under  ten- 
ants, with  all  and  singular  the  usual  and  accustomed 
ferriage,  fees,  perquisites,  rents,  issues,  profits,  and 
other  benefits  and  advantages  whatsoever,  to  the  said 
Old  Ferry  belonging,  or  therewith  used,  or  thereout 
arising  ;  and  also  all  that  the  aforesaid  vacant  and  un- 
appropriated ground,  lying  and  being  on  the  said  Nas- 
sau Island,  (alias  Long-Island)  from  high  wate.  mark 
to  low  water  mark  aforesaid,  contiguous  and  fronting 
the  said  city  of  New-York,  from  the  aforesaid  place 
called  the  Wallabout  to  Red  Hook  aforesaid  ;  that  is  to 
say,  from  the  east  side  of  the  Wallabout,  opposite  the 
now  dwelling  house  of  James  Bobine,  to  the  west  side 
of  the  Red  Hook,  commonly  called  the  Fishing-place, 
with  all  and  singular  the  appurtenances  and  heredita- 
ments to  the  same  belonging,  or  in  any  wise  of  right 
appertaining  ;  together  with  all  and  singular  the  rents, 
issues,  profits,  advantages,  and  appurtenances,  which 
heretofore  have,  now  are,  &  which  hereafter  shall  belong 
to  the  said  ferry ,vacant  land,  and  premises,  herein  before 
granted  and  confirmed,  or  to  any  or  either  of  them,  in 
any  wise  appertaining,  or  which  heretofore  have  been, 
now  are,  and  which  hereafter  shall  belong,  be  used, 
held,  received,  and  enjoyed  ;  and  all  our  estate,  right, 
title  and  interest,  benefit  and  advantage,  claim  and  de- 
mand, of,  in  or  to  the  said  ferry,  vacant  land  and  premi- 
ses, or  any  part  or  parcel  thereof,  &  the  reversion  &  rever- 
sions, remainder  and  remainders  ;  together  with  the  year- 
ly, and  other  rents,  revenues  and  profits  of  the  premises, 
and  of  every  part  and  parcel  thereof,  except  and  always 
reserved  out  of  this  our  present  grant  and  confirmation. 


113 


free  liberty,  leave  and  license  to  and  for  all  and  every 
person  or  persons,  inhabiting  or  having  plantations  near 
the  said  river,  by  the  water  side,  within  the  limits  and 
bounds  above  mentioned,  to  transport  themselves,  goods, 
horses,  and  cattle,  over  the  said  river,  to  and  from  the 
said  city  of  New-York,  and  Nassau  Island,  (alias  Long- 
Island)  to  and  from  their  respective  dwellings  or  plant- 
ations, without  any  ferriage,  or  other  account  to  the 
said  ferry,  hereby  granted  and  confirmed,  to  be  paid  or 
given  ;  so  always  as  the  said  person  or  persons  do 
transport  themselves  only,  and  their  own  goods,  in  their 
own  boats  only,  and  not  any  stranger  or  their  goods, 
horses  or  cattle,  or  in  any  other  boat.  To  have  and  to 
hold,  all  and  singular  the  said  ferry,  vacant  land  and 
premises,  herein  before  granted  and  confirmed,  or 
meant,  mentioned,  or  intended  to  be  hereby  granted 
and  confirmed  (except  as  is  herein  before  excepted) 
and  all  and  singular  the  rents,  issues,  profits,  rights, 
members  and  appurtenances,  to  the  same  belonging,  or 
in  any  wise  of  right  appertaining,  unto  the  said  mayor, 
aldermen  and  commonalty  of  the  city  of  New-York,  and 
their  successors  and  assigns  forever  ;  to  the  only  pro- 
per use  and  behoof  of  the  said  mayor,  aldermen,  and 
commonalty  of  the  city  of  New-Yoik,  and  their  succes- 
sors and  assigns  forever  ;  to  be  holden  of  us,  our  heirs 
and  successors,  in  free  and  common  soccage,  as  of  our 
manour  of  East-Greenwich,  in  the  county  of  Kent,  with- 
in our  kingdom  of  England  ;  yielding,  rendering,  and 
paying  unto  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  for  the  same, 
yearly,  at  our  custom-house  of  New- York,  to  our  col- 
lector and  receiver  general  there  for  the  time  being, 
at  or  upon  the  feast  of  the  nativity  of  St  John  the  Bap- 
tist, the  yearly  rent  or  sum  of  five  shillings,  current 
money  of  New-York.  And  wc  do  further,  of  our  espe- 
cial grace,  certain  knowledge  and  meer  motion,  for  us, 
our  heirs  and  successors,  give  and  grant  unto  the  said 
mayor,  aldermen  and  commonalty,  and  their  successors, 
full  and  free  leave  and  license  to  set  up,  establish,  keep, 
and  maintain  one  or  more  ferry  or  ferries,  as  they  shall 
from  time  to  time  think  fit  and  convenient,  within  the 
limits  and  bounds  aforesaid,  for  the  ease  and  accomma- 
10* 


114 


elation  of  transporting  of  passengers,  goods,  horses  and 
cattle,  between  the  said  city  of  New-York  and  the  said 
Island  (except  as  is  herein  before  excepted)  under  such 
reasonable  rates  and  payments  as  have  been  usually 
paid  and  received  for  the  same  ;  or  which  at  any  time 
hereafter,  shall  be  by  them  established,  by  and  with  the 
consent  and  approbation  of  our  governor  and  council  of 
our  said  province,  for  the  time  being  (  3  l)  And  we  do 
further,  of  our  especial  grace,  certain  knowledge,  and 
meer  motion,  give,  and  grant  unto  the  said  mayor,  al- 
dermen, and  commonalty  of  the  city  of  New-York,  and 
their  successors,  full  and  absolute  power  and  authority, 
to  make,  ordain,  establish,  constitute  and  confirm,  all 
manner  of  by-laws,  orders,  rules,  ordinances  and  direc- 
tions, for  the  more  orderly  keeping,  and  regularly  main, 
taining  the  aforesaid  ferry  that  now  is  kept,  or  any  fer- 
ry or  ferries  which  shall  at  any  time  or  times  hereafter^ 
be  set  up,  established,  or  kept  within  the  bounds  afore- 
said, by  virtue  hereof,  or  of,  for,  touching  or  concerning 
the  same,  (so  always  as  the  same  be  not  contrary  to 
our  laws  of  England,  and  of  our  province  of  New-York) 
and  the  same  at  all  times  hereafter  to  put  in  execution, 
or  abrogate,  revoke,  or  change,  as  they  in  their  good 
discretion  shall  think  fit,  and  most  convenient,  for  the 
due  and  orderly  keeping,  regulating,  and  governing  the 
said  ferry  or  ferries  herein  before  mentioned.  And 
lastly,  our  will  and  pleasure  is,  and  we  do  hereby  de- 
clare and  grant,  that  these  our  letters  patent,  or  the 
record  thereof,  in  the  secretary's  office  of  our  said  pro- 
vince of  New-York,  shall  be  good  and  effectual  in  the 
law,  to  all  intents  and  purposes  whatsoever,  notwith- 
standing the  not  true  and  well  reciting  or  mentioning 
of  the  premises,  or  any  part  thereof,  or  the  limits  and 
bou:  ds  thereof,  or  of  any  former  or  other  letters  pa- 
tents, or  grants  whatsoever,  made  or  granted  ;  or  of 
any  part  thereof,  by  us,  or  any  of  our  progenitors,  unto 
any  person  or  persons  whatsoever,  bodies  politic  or 

(31)  The  corporation  of  New-York  appear  to  have  abandoned  the 
right  of  regulating  the  rate  of  ferriage  very  early  ;  for  in  1717,  nine 
years  after  the  date  of  this  charter,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  colonial 
legislature  for  that  purpose. 


115 


corporate,  (32)  or  any  law  or  other  restraint,  incertain- 
ty,  or  imperfection  whatsoever,  to  the  contrary  in  any 
wise  notwithstanding,  and  although  express  mention  of 
the  true  yearly  value,  or  certainty  of  the  premises,  or 
of  any  of  them,  or  of  any  other  gifts  or  grants  by  us  or 
by  any  of  our  progenitors,  heretofore  made  to  the  said 
mayor,  aldermen,  and  commonalty  of  the  city  of  New- 
York,  in  these  presents,  is  not  made,  or  any  other  mat- 
ter, cause,  or  thing  whatsoever,  to  the  contrary  thereof 
in  any  wise  notwithstanding.  In  testimony  whereof, 
we  have  caused  these  our  letters  to  be  made  patent, 
and  the  seal  of  our  said  province  of  New-York,  to  our 
said  letters  patent  to  be  affixed,  and  the  same  to  be  re- 
corded, in  the  secretary's  office  of  our  said  province. — 
Witness  our  right  trusty  and  well-beloved  cousin,  Ed- 
ward Viscount  Cornbury,  captain  general  and  governor 
in  chief  in  and  over  our  province  of  New-York  afore- 
said, and  territories  thereon  depending  in  America,  and 
vice  admiral  of  the  same,  8cc.  in  council,  at  our  Fort, 
in  New-York,  the  nineteenth  day  of  April,  in  the  seventh 
year  of  our  reign,  Annoq.  Domini  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  eigb*.  CORNBURY. 

At  the  time  of  printing  that  part  of  this  work  un- 
der the  head  of  "  Common  lands  and  the  division 
thereof,"  the  compiler  was  not  aware  of  the  exist- 
ence of  the  following  proceeding  relating  to  the  di- 
vision of  the  said  lands,  he  has  therefore  placed  the 
same  in  this  appendix. 

"  At  a  towne  meeting  held  this  twentieth  day  of 
Aprill,  1697,  at  Bedford  within  the  jurisdiction  of 
Broockland,  in  Kings  County,  upon  the  Island  of 
Nassau,  Resolved  by  all  the  ffreeholders  of  the 
towne  of  Broockland  aforseaid,  that  all  their  com- 
mon land  not  yet  laid  out  or  divided,  belonging  to 
their  whole  patent  shall  be  equally  divided  and  laid 

(32)  This  clause  was  undoubtedly  inserted  to  obviate,  if  possible 
the  claim  under  the  two  Brooklyn  patents,  both  of  which  were  manv 
years  older  than  this  charter. 


116 


out  to  each  {Freeholders  of  said  towne,  hisjust  pro- 
porcon  in  all  the  common  lands  abovesaid,  except 
those  that  have  but  an  house  and  a  home  lott,  which 
are  only  to  have  but  half  share  of  the  lands  afore- 
said. And  for  the  laying  out  of  the  said  lands  there 
are  chosen  and  appointed  by  the  ffreeholders  above- 
said,  Capt.  Henry  Ffilkin,  Jacobus  Vanderwater, 
Daniel  Kapale,  Joris  Hansen,  John  Dorlant,  and 
Cornelius  Vanduyne.  It  is  further  ordered  that  noe 
men  within  this  township  abovesaid,  shall  have  pri- 
viledge  to  sell  his  part  of  the  undivided  lands  of 
Broockland  not  yet  laid  out,  to  any  person  living 
without  the  township  abovesaid.  It  is  likewise 
ordered,  consented  to,  and  agreed  by  the  towne 
meeting  aforesaid,  that  Capt.  Henry  Ffilkin  shall 
have  a  full  share  w  ith  any  or  all  the  ffreeholders 
aforesaid,  in  all  the  common  land  or  woods  in 
the  whole  patent  of  the  towne  of  Broockland 
aforesaid,  besides  a  half  share  for  his  home  lott; 
To  have  and  to  hold  to  him,  his  heirs  and 
assigns  forever.  It  is  likewise  ordered,  that  noe 
person  whatsoever  within  the  common  woods  of  the 
jurisdicon  of  Broockland  aforesaid,  shall  cutt  or  fell 
any  oake  or  chesnut  saplings  for  fire  wood  during 
the  space  of  foure  years  from  the  date  hereof  upon 
any  of  the  said  common  lands  or  woods  within  the 
jurisdicon  of  Broockland  patent,  upon  the  penalty 
of  six  shillings  in  money,  for  every  waggon  load  of 
saplings  abovesaid  soe  cutt,  besides  the  forfeiture  of 
the  wood  or  timber  soe  cutt  as  abovesaid,  the  one 
half  thereof  to  the  informer,  and  the  other  halt  for 
the  Mse  of  the  poor  of  the  towne  of  Broockland 
aforesaid. 

By  order  of  the  towne  meeting  aforesaid, 
and  Justice  Henry  Ffilkin, 
Jacobus  Vandewater,  Towne  Clerk/* 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

The  Compiler  here  closes  his  notes,  and  has  only 
to  remark,  that  throughout  the  whole  of  this  little 
work, he  has  been  less  solicitous  about  his  reputation 
as  an  author,  than  a  correct  compiler.  Studies  of  this 
nature  are  but  ill  calculated  to  admit  of  a  luxuri- 
ance of  diction  or  sentiment,  and  to  these  he  has  in 
no  place  aspired.  His  business  was  to  collect  au- 
thentic information  concerning  subjects  at  once  ob- 
scure and  interesting,  and  in  what  degree  he  has 
effected  this  object  he  leaves  his  readers  to  deter- 
mine, feeling  conscious  himself,  that  however  im- 
perfectly he  may  have  executed  his  design,  his  only 
aim  was  the  public  good. 


CONTENTS. 


Pagf> 

Situation  of  the  Town  of  Brooklyn,   b 

Ancient  Names  and  Remains,        ------  6 

Soil  and  Climate,     -       --       --       --      --  7 

Ancient  Grants  and  Patents,         ------  8 

Town  Rights  nnd  Ferries,  21 
Roads  and  Public  Landing  Places,       -----  36 

Common  Lands,  and  the  Division  thereof,  -  4© 

Differences  as  to  Bounds,        -      --      --  --46 

Revolutionary  Incidents,     -      --      --      --  50 

Ancient  Government,      -       .-       --       --  -55 

Present  Government,  ------  68 

Public  Buildings  and  Institutions,         -----  73 

Schools,  Newspapers  and  Moral  Character,  92 
Fire  Department,       -      --      --      --      -  95 

Miscellaneous,       -  ---99 

Appendix,  -------      -  102 


